False Engagements
by Guardian Kysra
Summary: Zechs announces that Relena is on the market for a hubby and as men line up at her door, Hilde and Catherine pick out her perfect mate . . . TB/RP romantic comedy (although the comedy part is iffy at best --:) R for sexual innuendo and later material
1. Prologue

I REALLY dislike starting stories when I'm already working on another one....this goes doubly for different fics for the same show, but my Muse attacked me last night and I haven't been able to think of anything else ;-;  
  
Takes place in AC 200 when the boys, Relena, Hilde, and Dorothy are 20 (Dorothy is the same age as Relena right?), I'm again ignoring Endless Waltz, and this has NOTHING to do with my other ficcie 'Made of You'.  
  
C&C welcome and appreciated greatly ^_^ The responses I get will determine whether I'll continue or not.  
  
Disclaimer: Don't own 'em. Maybe in another life ^_^  
  
False Engagements: Prologue  
by Kysra  
  
" . . . And in the news this beautiful Friday night, an announcement from Milliardo Peacecraft, but first . . . "  
  
Noin turned her head to look questioningly at her husband, situating herself more comfortably as he held her in his arms.  
  
He just shook his head, smiling down on her enigmatically while tightening his hold on her.  
  
Footsteps could be heard from the hall, and Relena shortly entered the living room only to cross into the kitchen, waving to Noin when the older woman smiled at her.  
  
It was a quiet night, and Relena blessedly had finished all the paperwork for the week. She was officially off duty for at least two days, and she intended to catch up on everything she had missed out on, namely companionship, sleep and junk food (not necessarily in that order).  
  
Her arms full of chips, jars of salsa, sodas, cups, and plates, Relena exited the kitchen but paused to watch her brother and his wife for a moment, the two illuminated by the television. They were so cute. Relena couldn't help the wistful smile that touched her face.  
  
"RELENA! We're gettin' hungry up here!" Hilde yelled from upstairs, and Relena giggled, turning to go upstairs once more when . . .   
  
"Earlier today, Milliardo Peacecraft, older brother of Vice Foreign Minister Relena Darlian, announced that Miss Darlian is officially a bachelorette and --"  
  
Milliardo aka Zechs Merquise, once revered and feared as a fierce and deadly soldier, glanced toward where he knew his younger sister was standing with something akin to dread. He could see her outline framed by the door way, her shoulders tense, the muscles contracted so tightly she was actually trembling. This did not bode well for him, but the fact that she hadn't dropped all the food she was holding was a good sign . . . Wasn't it?  
  
"MILLIARDO!" Uh oh. That wasn't Relena's voice. It was too near him. It was Lucrezia. Forgot to watch out for her. Damn.  
  
Shifting his gaze from Noin to Relena then back again, Milliardo wondered what would be the wisest course of action. He could run of course, but Noin was weighing him down, her body pinning him to the couch. He would have to get past her, and then, he would have to get past Relena who had several jars of hot salsa in her hands which constituted as liable weapons.  
  
Double damn.  
  
"RELENA! Did you see what's on the news! Oh my GOD! Why didn't you tell us?!!" Hilde ran down the stairs, Dorothy and Catherine following close behind. "Relena? Hello, Relena?! Are you in there?" Hilde waved a hand in front of Relena's frozen face while Catherine looked on, a worried expression on her face, and Dorothy smirked at the scene brewing between Zechs and Noin.  
  
"How COULD you!? What were you THINKING!??" Noin was livid enough for both herself and Relena, Milliardo mused as he winced at his wife screaming in his ear.  
  
"Well," he looked at Relena who was still sort of . . . paused, "there have been any number of nice young men calling for her, but she never takes the initiative so I thought if I made a public announcement that she was free . . ." He trailed off when he noticed Noin glaring at him furiously.  
  
"Relena, c'mon SAY something will ya? You're freaking Catherine out!"  
  
"Mmmmmm--"  
  
"Whoa, she moved. Amazing."  
  
"LLLiiiiiiiiiiiii--"  
  
"Hilde, I think you should get away from her . . ."  
  
"AAAAARRRRR--"  
  
"Oh my goodness! Her eyes! I've never seen her so furious before . . ."  
  
"Yes, such bloodlust. It's so beautiful!"  
  
"DDDDDDOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!"  
  
"ACK!"  
  
*WHAM!*  
  
~applause~  
  
Milliard groaned and rubbed the bump developing on his head, grimacing as he touched the newly sore spot, "Damn. Did you have to throw that jar so hard?"  
  
Relena promptly threw down all the food and eating implements to the floor in favor of tackling her brother. Of course, Noin saw what was coming and calmly moved out of the way while Relena throttled her brother.  
  
"This is better than Pay-Per-View." Dorothy commented, opening a bag of corn chips and taking a seat on the floor.  
  
Hilde just watched the whole scene with an amused look in her eyes, thinking of the story she would have for Duo when she went home, and Catherine looked somewhat mortified that no one was stopping Relena from killing Milliardo.  
  
"It hasn't even been a WEEK!!! And you're already trying to find a boyfriend for me???!!!" Relena hissed through clenched teeth while shaking her brother, his shirt clutched tightly in her hands while straddling his stomach.  
  
Deciding that her husband had had enough punishment for one night at his sister's hands, Noin pulled the struggling Relena off of Zechs, allowing the blond man to get up, the offensive jar of salsa in his hand. His eyes held a look of repentance.  
  
"I'm sorry Relena. I shouldn't have done such a thing without your permission." He held out the jar as a peace-offering. After a moment of hesitation, she accepted it much to Milliardo's delight. He gave her a tentative smile, and she looked uncertain before saying,  
  
"You're going to tell them it was all just a misunderstanding tomorrow right?"  
  
The smile disappeared, and Hilde whistled under her breath. This was like a soap opera. You could just feel the tension in the air as Milliardo's features formed a sheepish look. Catherine bit her lip, anxiety building in her gut as they waited for whatever news Milliardo hadn't told them yet. Dorothy just kept munching on her corn chips, enjoying the show.  
  
"I can't. You already have every night booked for the next two weeks."   
  
"WHAT!"  
  
Dorothy laughed outright. She wondered if Noin and Relena even realized they had screamed simultaneously. Hilde's eyes widened even more. Catherine looked shocked. It was obvious Zechs was just digging a deeper ditch in which to bury himself in.  
  
Gritting her teeth tightly and clenching her fists in an effort to calm herself, Relena glared up at her brother, "Cancel them." She could see the expression on his face clearly meant he couldn't. Her suitors must be young politicians or the sons of politicians looking to make an alliance of some sort. Great, first Heero dumps her and now she was a slab of beef set out for the dogs.  
  
Tight lipped, the blonde girl turned to face her guests and forced a smile, "I guess I'll be occupied for the next few nights."  
  
Dorothy looked a little disappointed that Relena hadn't killed Zechs, opening a soda and hoping a little caffeine and sugar would cheer her up. Hilde just smiled, admiring the way Relena was handling it all. Catherine frowned, knowing Relena wasn't happy about this.  
  
With one last glance in her brother's direction, Relena picked up the things she had dropped in her haste to attack him, and resumed her march to her room, not bothering to make sure her friends were following her.   
  
Dorothy smirked at Zechs, "You really are a fool. Don't you know how to treat a lady even if she is your sister?" She popped another corn chip into her mouth, giggled at Zech's disgruntled expression, and ran up the stairs after Relena.  
  
Running an hand through her short, dark hair Hilde smiled, the amusement clear on her face, "Wait till the guys hear about this." She turned and slowly ascended the stairs.  
  
Catherine didn't say anything but glared at Zechs reprovingly while shaking her head as if to say he should be ashamed of himself. The red-head followed after the others, and then he was alone . . . with Noin.  
  
Noin who was looking at him like a shark looks at an unexpected meal.  
  
Uh oh.  
  
***  
  
He couldn't, wouldn't stop laughing. It was just too rich, too hilarious, too . . . unreal.  
  
"You *snort* hafta *chuckle* be kidding *chortle*!"  
  
Hilde shook her head with a smirk, "Nope. She tackled him then started shakin' him like this." She reached out to take hold of the Duo's shirt front, and began to shake him like Relena had shaken Zechs the night before at the news she was now an 'available bachelorette'.  
  
Duo, red faced from laughing so hard at the thought of Relena attacking anyone, wiped a tear of mirth from his eye as they both calmed down, "So who's the first date?"  
  
Sobering, Hilde thought a moment before answering, "I think she said it was a Frederick something-or-other . . . I'm not really sure. All she knows is that he's the son of some rich guy who has good family ties and ancestry and all that."  
  
"Hhhhmmm . . . Think Heero's heard?"  
  
"He would have to be blind and deaf not to. It's all over the newspapers AND the news. It's all anyone can talk about: the Untouchable Princess is now Reachable. Besides, Heero broke up with her remember? They decided to keep it platonic."  
  
"Yeah, I know."  
  
Hilde smiled, standing, "Well, I guess I'll be headin' over to Relena's. She asked me and Cathy to help her look her worst."  
  
Duo snorted at that, then grinned, "Want a male opinion?"  
  
Nodding emphatically, Hilde took his hand, pulling him to his feet and out the door. They would help Relena alright, help her scare away every male who dared to step up to the plate.  
  
To be continued?  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



	2. Playing Cupid

Yeesh....I finished...finally. Took for friggin' ever ;-; Oi, this part ain't nothing great but it is the last set-up part. After this it'll be semi to total mushiness....cuz I need a little mushiness while I'm doing 'Made of You'....speaking of which Chapter 6 will be   
out by this weekend ^_^  
  
A great big hug and a thankyou to all those who have encouraged me to write this ^_^ I hope I surprise some of you hehehehe   
  
Disclaimer: Never said I own 'em and I won't say it now (although I WISH I did *sniff*)  
  
False Engagemtents: Playing Cupid  
by Kysra  
  
*Note: This was inspired partially by a dream, partially by insanity, and partially by my best friend's matchmaking tendencies ;-;*  
  
  
It was raining.  
  
Relena stared out the window in horror. It was raining hard, and it didn't look as if it would let up anytime soon, which probably meant her date was cancelled for the night.  
  
The horror melted as a fire she had thought forever extinguished was ignited once more. Tears of happiness flooded her vision as a goofy smile lit up her face. What good luck for a change!  
  
"RELENA! Phone for you!"  
  
Racing downstairs, Relena hoped it was either Hilde, Catherine, or even Dorothy so that she could gush about this sudden turn of fate. She turned the corner, an exuberance that had been absent in her step for the past week making an appearance once more as she bounded past Milliardo for the vid-phone in the corner.  
  
And then she saw who it was.  
  
She halted in her rush to rejoice in her newfound if temporary freedom and approached the vid-phone with reserve, her steps again losing the excited note they had just moments before. Her smile was gone again, the light in her eyes once more dimmed to nearly nothing, and even her hair seemed to lose a certain element of joy.  
  
"How do you do Paul? To what do I owe this call?"  
  
Milliardo cringed at the distant tone and impersonal phrasing. At least she had used the guy's first name. He inched closer, listening to his sister's conversation.  
  
"No no, the rain doesn't bother me." Perhaps the rain didn't bother her, but being forced to date complete strangers certainly did.  
  
"Well, then we're still on?" The poor guy sounded so uncertain, Milliardo felt a twinge of sympathy.  
  
" . . . Um . . . sure . ." She didn't sound very thrilled, Milliardo noted, but then she hadn't been very thrilled about any of this from the start. He had hoped dating would open the way to a new relationship in her life, but she had just become more and more withdrawn, more depressed.  
  
The two exchanged a few more insignificant words and there was silence.  
  
"Milliardo?"  
  
Why did he suddenly have this sinking feeling when she said his name like that?  
  
"Yes Relena?"  
  
"If you even think about setting me up on anymore dates, I swear I'll invite your fanclub to stay in the mansion for a month." Her voice was so cold, so devoid of emotion. She sounded like Heero. Milliardo felt a shiver go up his spine, and it wasn't just the sound of her voice that initiated such a reaction but the words that voice spoke as well. His fanclub . . . It was enough to make a lesser man go insane. Another shudder wracked his body at the thought of that group of drooling fangirls staying in the same house with him.  
  
"Yes ma'am."  
  
"Make sure that you don't." His little sister was so commanding, he had to suppress the pride that swelled up in him. She didn't look happy at all, and he just didn't understand it. What was so bad about meeting new people? Why was she being so difficult?  
  
He listened as she stomped up the stairs and slammed her bedroom door. Nope, not happy at all.  
  
"Don't you think it's a little late to make promises?" Noin came up behind him, disapproval lacing her tone.  
  
"What do you mean?" Milliardo glanced at her and felt his mouth go dry when he saw the accusing look on her face, her arms crossed over her chest.  
  
"You booked every lunch and dinner for the rest of the MONTH!"  
  
"SHHHHH not so loud! She might hear you!"  
  
Noin just gave him THE look (you know, the one your parents give you when you've been trying to hide something from them and they just found out and you try to deny it when there is evidence stacked against you . . . THAT look) then smiled sinisterly.  
  
He really didn't like that look.  
  
"Oh honey, do you see that couch you're currently sitting on?"  
  
Oh shit. He nodded slowly.  
  
"It's comfy isn't it?"  
  
Ok, maybe it was time to work for some brownie points. "Yes but it would be much more comfortable if you would join me dearest." He smiled sweetly at her.  
  
"That's just too bad isn't it, because until this whole 'Milliardo's Dating Service' thing is over and done with, you will be sleeping on that couch ALONE."  
  
Milliardo sighed as he watched his irate wife stomp up the stairs in much the same fashion as his sister. Were all the women in his life crazy?  
  
Muttering something about moody females and PMS, he settled down on his sofa, listening to the soothing sounds of the rain beating upon the roof, letting himself drift off to sleep.  
  
***  
  
"So Heero knows?"  
  
"Yup."  
  
"And he laughed? Actually laughed?"  
  
"Yup again."  
  
"Oh dear . . . "  
  
"You said it."  
  
Catherine sighed, staring at the steaming cup of tea before her like it held the answers to the universe. She and Hilde had been discussing Relena's plight for the past half-hour, sitting in the small cafe as the rain poured down outside with only their tea to relax their strained nerves.  
  
"He said that Relena could take care of herself in this situation," Hilde murmured thoughtfully, her eyes staring out the window to her left, watching the cars pass by.  
  
"Hhhmmm . . . So he isn't in love with her then? Not the least bit jealous?" Catherine didn't like prying into her friends' personal business, but if they were to be truly successful in helping Relena out of this ridiculous situation, they would have to know all of the particulars which could affect any plans they may come up with.  
  
"No. I mean, I can tell he cares, but he's not IN love with her ya know? As for Relena, I don't think she was ever really in love with him either. Just a school girl crush. I mean . . . she wasn't even upset when I told her about what Heero said."  
  
"Well, it was a mutual break-up . . .," Catherine mused softly, her eyes still glued to her tea.  
  
"Yeah . . ."  
  
Silence lapsed between them as they both retreated to their own half-baked schemes and meddlesome plans fashioned to help their friend in need. The only plan they had come up with so far -- the make-Relena-look-bad plan -- had backfired when Milliardo had strictly forbade Relena to even think of being manipulative towards her dates, and that meant she had to be herself. No acting, horrible make-up jobs, or mismatched clothes allowed.  
  
"Ya know, Relena wouldn't even be in this position if she were taken," Hilde muttered under her breath, not really paying attention to what she was saying.  
  
"THAT'S IT!!! Hilde you're so brilliant!"  
  
Hilde blinked up at the triumphantly posing Catherine who was grinning like an idiot and drawing stares from the other cafe-goers.  
  
"What's brilliant? I'm not following you Cathy." Totally confused but somewhat anxious, Hilde stared at her friend questioningly as Catherine took a running leap for the exit.  
  
"Hurry! We need to get home!"  
  
Figuring Catherine meant the circus, Hilde groaned a little before grabbing their coats and slapping some money on the table. Running from the cafe, she followed her overzealous friend as best she could, all the while yelling at the red head to stop and reminding her that it was raining.  
  
As she ran through the pouring rain toward the outskirts of town where the circus was currently residing, Hilde wondered what she had said to trigger an idea in Catherine's head, reviewing their conversation before the older woman's outburst.  
  
*Relena wouldn't even be in this position if she were taken.* The words jumped out at her, and a smile blossomed on her lips when she realized what Catherine must be thinking. Of course! Find someone to act as Relena's significant other! Why hadn't they thought of that before?  
  
All they had to do was find someone suitable for Relena to act the part of 'possessive boyfriend'. She chuckled a little, wondering if Catherine already had someone in mind.  
  
And then another thought occurred to her, raising her spirits even higher as she sloshed toward the circus lights, the rain falling in torrents around her: Maybe, if they played their cards just right, they would succeed in playing Cupid, binding two hearts together in true love. Hilde very nearly squealed with the romantic excitement of it all.  
  
Finally, after what seemed a very long time in soaked discomfort, Hilde reached Catherine's trailer and entered, yelling in mock anger about how Catherine was cruel to leave her to run through the rain all by herself.  
  
Oh but it was good to be sheltered from the storm raging outside . . . so good. Hilde just stood in the doorway soaking up the dry warmth of the little space, trying to ignore the chill spreading across her wet skin. She had forgotten to put her coat on in her haste to catch up with her friend, and her clothes now clung to her skin, heavy and soaked with rain water. It was a decidely unpleasant state of being.  
  
"Here put these on before you catch your death," Catherine smiled, exiting a darkened room with a set of clothes in one hand and a small, black leatherbound book in the other. She had changed into dry clothes and had a towel on her head.  
  
Hilde grinned cockily, "Hey I'm married to Death, remember?"  
  
Catherine giggled and pointed in the direction of the bathroom, handing the dark-haired woman the clothes she had brought.  
  
While Hilde was busy changing, Catherine busied herself making hot cocoa in an attempt to calm the excitement raging in her blood. At least they now had a sketchy idea of what could be done to save their friend from the seemingly endless sea of meaningless blind dates ahead of her. Of course, the idea running around in her head wasn't a long-term solution, but at least it would buy them some time and --  
  
"Hey, what's with the silly expressio?"  
  
Jerked out of her musings, Catherine grinned at the now-dry Hilde, "I'll tell you in a sec. Go sit down. I'll bring the cocoa."  
  
They settled onto the couch, cocoa in hand, and began to discuss Relena's dilemma yet again. However, this time, they had a vague impression of a plausible plan.  
  
"I'll assume by now you've figured out why I got so excited by what you said. If we can find Mr. Right-for-the-moment for Relena, then she won't have to go through all these stupid blind dates that have her so depressed!"  
  
"How about a Mr. THE ONE for Relena? I mean why not go all out and aim for true love? That way she'll never have to worry about her brother trying to play matchmaker again."  
  
Catherine stared at her friend, wide-eyed, "But won't that be pushing it a little? I mean, if we play matchmaker as well, are we any better than Zechs?"  
  
Hilde shook her head, "Of course we are! Afterall, we're her best friends! We know what she needs much better than her brother ever could! Now, are you with me?"  
  
Thinking it over, Catherine pulled out the book she had been holding earlier, setting it one the table next to the couch on which they sat.  
  
"This is my little black book and --"  
  
"You call that little! It's the size of a friggin' notebook!"  
  
A glare answered Hilde's comment, "It has the name and phone number of every single man I know. I'm sure if we make up a list of qualities Relena's Mr. Right should have we'll come up with someone."  
  
"Oh boy," Hilde stared at the book, "this'll take all night won't it?"  
  
"Maybe. Maybe not."  
  
"So that means you're with me?"  
  
"Yep."  
  
Hilde squealed and hugged her friend tightly as they began to collect their thoughts on Relena's perfect mate.  
  
"He has to be quiet. Relena likes the silent, mysterious type!"  
  
"Yes! Oh and he has to be passionate but not quite emotional. Someone who fights for his beliefs."  
  
"Has to be a gentleman and thoughtful. Relena's very sentimental."  
  
"Gentle but dangerous to add a little spice to their lives."  
  
"Graceful and confident but it has to be a natural air and not some act."  
  
"A friend. Someone who will listen to her when she needs to just let it all out."  
  
"Someone who doesn't bother with fools and nonsense. He has to be a realist to tamper down Relena's more idealistic side."  
  
"Must have an inner strength. Someone who can protect her and put up with her when she starts goin nuts from all the stress in her life."  
  
"Someone who doesn't mind being alone since Relena's job sometimes calls for long hours in the office."  
  
"Independent. Someone who won't be all clingy, always demanding her time and space."  
  
"Not interested in just her money or looks."  
  
"Has to have a strong sense of family."  
  
"Intelligence is a must."  
  
"OOohhh...expressive eyes!"  
  
"Ya know, I could fall in love with this guy, and we don't even know if he exists yet!" Hilde gushed, holding both hands to her chest and blushing mightily.  
  
"Silly! You're married!" Catherine laughed at her nearly swooning friend.  
  
"Yeah but," Hilde leaned in conspiratorially, "that doesn't mean I can't keep lookin!"  
  
They burst out laughing at nothing, caught up in the silliness of their idea even if they were serious about putting it into action.  
  
They quieted when they heard the door open and watched as Trowa appeared inside the trailer, his hair and clothes soaked through. He nodded at them in greeting then trudged into one of the back rooms. Hilde looked at Catherine questioningly,  
  
"It didn't know you two lived together . . ."  
  
"We don't, but on nights like these he comes to keep me company."  
  
"I'm not ruining your sibling time together, am I?"  
  
"No, of course not!"  
  
Reassured, Hilde smiled. She didn't want to go home to an empty apartment, especially not in this horrid weather.  
  
"Well, do you have anyone in mind yet?"  
  
"Nah, but maybe we'll find someone in here." Catherine picked up the black book, flipping pages after dismissing their contents as worthless while Hilde watched for Trowa's return. Maybe he knew someone and --  
  
The object of her thoughts walked silently on bare feet to the kitchen, his shirtless torso bare to the world, revealing the muscular physique that was so often hidden under his clothing. He was so graceful, so quiet, his motions speaking of a sureness that reminded her of a sleek jungle cat which hunts his prey, always aware of his place in the order of nature.  
  
Wait a minute.  
  
Hilde stared at the young man, her lip caught between her teeth as chewed on it thoughtfully, mentally going through the checklist she and Catherine had just set down.  
  
Quiet and mysterious. Check.  
  
Passionate but not overemotional. A fighter. Check.  
  
A thoughtful gentleman. He had remembered her birthday and sent her a present while Duo hadn't even remembered. Double check.  
  
Gentle but dangerous. Check.  
  
Possesses a natural grace and confidence. Check.  
  
A good listener. Check.  
  
A no nonsense kinda guy. Check.  
  
Inner strength. A true-born protector. Triple check.  
  
Doesn't mind being alone. Check.  
  
Independent. Woohoo, the guy was getting a lot of brownie points! Check.  
  
Money and looks wouldn't matter to him. Check.  
  
A sense of family. He was insanely loyal to Cathy and thought of Quatre as a brother. Check.  
  
Very intelligent. Check.  
  
Expressive eyes. Hhhhhmmm . . . Hilde scrutinized the boy, searching in her mind for any memories that would give cohesive evidence that those gorgeous green eyes reflected the soul inside the man. Catherine had once told her the story of when she had accidentally cut Trowa during their act. It was a reaction to the utter despair she saw in his eyes, the will to die.  
  
Now that could constitute expressive. Of course, it wasn't a positive kind of expressive but beggers couldn't be choosers, and he had such a good record so far . . . Check!  
  
And he was good looking too! Trowa was THE ONE! She chuckled under her breath. Although it would be nice if he actually had a sense of humor. Oh well . . .   
  
"Why are you staring at my brother?" Catherine's whispered voice jerked her from the 'Trowa Zone'.   
  
"I've just found the PERFECT guy for Relena, and to think, he was right under our noses!"  
  
"What are you talking about?" Catherine didn't look very convinced.  
  
Hilde didn't like the vagely suspicious tone in Cathy's voice one bit. Did she think she was joking? Oh well, she couldn't very well tell her the prime candidate's name outloud where said candidate could hear, now could she?  
  
With a silly grin, Hilde covered half of her face with one hand while pointing in Trowa's general direction with the other.  
  
Catherine's face looked puzzled at first, not entirely sure she was reading Hilde's signals correctly. Trowa? Her little brother? Relena's match? She mentally went over the same checklist as Hilde had moments before, staring at her unsuspecting brother, and grinned slyly.  
  
It just might work.  
  
Nodding to Hilde, they both rose to their feet and approached the silent Gundam pilot of 03.  
  



	3. Operation Relena Barton

Heh, it's late and I make no excuses! I've been writing on it since Monday . . . no Tuesday morning and have only stopped for work and sleep ;-; It just would NOT stop! It also left a lot of questions open which I WILL get to explaining in the chapters ahead. As for well......what happens....I had no idea how to approach it so I'm kinda nervous about posting this one.  
  
Thank you again, all those who have given me feedback and constant support ^_^   
  
Disclaimer: Don't own GW or anything else affiliated with GW . . . this is just a piece of insanity from an insane fangirl's delusional mind ^_^  
  
False Engagements: Operation Relena Barton  
  
"I do not believe I'm going through with this -- OW! Damn it Hilde, watch where you're arranging the branches!" Duo winced as Hilde allowed yet another branch to stab his side. Why had he agreed to this in the first place?  
  
"Stop being such a baby! It's just for a few hours. Besides, don't you feel good, knowing you're enduring all this pain for the benefit of your friends' future?"  
  
He grumbled under his breath but didn't say anything more about it. Complaining would just make Hilde angry. This was her baby, of sorts, so he would entertain her for the time being, even if he did know that this was a gargantuan mistake. Relena and Trowa? Where the hell did she get this stuff from?  
  
"Don't look at me like that Duo. You're not backing out now." Hilde's voice brooked no argument.   
  
"But this isn't fair! I'm a goddamn BUSH for goodness sake! Why can't Heero be the stupid bush?!"  
  
"Because Heero is the chauffeur remember?" Catherine answered in a voice brimming with false patience as she knelt on the floor, altering Heero's suit. Heero remained silently glaring at the disgruntled shrub.  
  
"I can be the chauffeur! I can drive! Tell her Hilde!"  
  
"You can't drive. You forgot to renew your license, and stop whining already!" Hilde was losing her precarious hold on her temper.  
  
"BUT I'M A BUSH!"  
  
Yes, that's right, Duo was currently in the guise of a shrub, a piece of greenery fit for highway median-dom. A bush.  
  
The plan had been set after the two women had decided that Trowa was the absolute perfect match for Relena, and their collective attempt to approach Trowa on the issue had failed due to both parties chickening out at the last minute. Instead of telling him of their theories on the possible compatibility between him and a certain blonde, they had asked his opinion on certain items of clothing, Catherine's newest boyfriend, and Relena's dating status. His replies were inconclusive, and Hilde agreed with Catherine that they had been approaching the whole Trowa/Relena thing all wrong. More subtle means were in order.  
  
No, if they just came out and told the two parties in question their plans, Trowa would ignore it and Relena would stubbornly refuse to cooperate. It was decided that when working with two people like Trowa and Relena, it was best to steer clear of being blatantly obvious, and with their determined mindset, Hilde and Catherine had come up with a nearly fool proof plan. The key to this whole operation was subtlety, and even though they would have rathered having a more active hand in their friends' future happiness, they had to admit that the natural route fate had in store for the desired couple would bear much longer-lasting fruit than any scheme they could come up with. Of course, giving fate a soft push in the right direction was allowable.  
  
And so, with righteous love as their cause and Fate walking beside them, Hilde and Catherine, Matchmakers Extraordinaire, enlisted the help of some very special men (one of whom was Hilde the Matchmaker's husband) with very specialized skills. They also approached the female subject's sister-in-law with the plan and were extremely pleased when said sister-in-law was as thrilled about the proposal as they were.  
  
Sufficient support breeded a staunch confidence in the two schemers, and they immediately wanted to test out their Flow Chart o' Love, and that was why Duo was currently stuck in the guise of a bush.  
  
"This is a load of sh--"  
  
"DUO! If I hear one more cuss out of you, I swear you'll be a pile of cow dung next time!"  
  
Duo pouted as he sulked in silence, wincing when the sharp end of a twig got jammed into his thigh.  
  
"There all done!" Catherine tugged on the altered coat sleeve and smiled at her handiwork.  
  
Hilde squinted at the wall clock nearby, "Great! It's almost time to put our plan in action. Come on Cathy. We have to be settled in your trailer before Trowa gets home!."  
  
Closing her sewing box, Catherine stood and grinned at Duo which scared the living shit out of him, "Ok, but first, I have to get a picture."  
  
"Oh. Hell. NO." Duo jumped off the couch, determined not to get caught on camera like . . . well like he was at the moment, covered in dirt, branches, and leaves. He, of course, didn't account for Heero who had a very shiny, rather evil-looking gun pointed in his face.  
  
"Smile for the camera Duo."  
  
Unarmed and out-numbered, Duo knew he should just suck it up and obey. Smiling widely, Duo allowed Catherine to take the possibly incriminating, totally embarrassing picture before stalking out the apartment door, Heero, Hilde, and Catherine quickly following.  
  
It was time to make the first move, and despite how much he disagreed with his wife's preoccupation with this matchmaking business, he wasn't about to sit through more pictures. He would follow through with this if only to preserve his dignity.  
  
Reaching the ground level of the building the Maxwells called home, the men and women separated, going their separate ways.  
  
Phase 1 of Operation Relena Barton had begun.  
  
***  
  
~ An hour later at the Bloom residence . . . ~  
  
"Where the hell is he?"  
  
"Calm down Hilde. He'll be here. Besides, we still have an hour before what's-his-name picks Relena up," Catherine pointed out reasonably to the furiously pacing Hilde. "Now could you please stop pacing before you burn a hole in my ratty carpet?"  
  
"Maybe we should have gotten Quatre or Wufei to help. I mean Duo is totally against this, and he'll probably screw up on purpose," Hilde muttered, taking a seat on the couch.  
  
"Don't worry so much. If it doesn't work this time around, we can always try again, and can you honestly tell me you can see Wufei taking everything we're making Duo do tonight?"  
  
"No."  
  
"Exactly, and do you actually think we would ever be able to ask Quatre to be a bush?"  
  
"No, I guess not. He's just too . . . too . . ."  
  
"Quatre?"  
  
"Yeah. I'd totally feel like a cad if we played 'dress up' with him."  
  
Catherine smiled slightly then rose from her seat on the floor to fix herself a cup of tea, "So do you think it'll work? This first try, I mean?"  
  
A sigh was emitted from Hilde's lips, "I don't know, but my gut feeling tells me something good is gonna come from this."  
  
"You have that feeling too?"  
  
The phone decided to ring at that moment, and Hilde, telling Catherine to keep making her tea, jumped to answer it. It was the man of the hour.  
  
"Hilde?"  
  
"Hey Trowa! On your way home?"  
  
"No. Tell Cathy I'll be late."  
  
Panic rushed through her, and the wide smile that had previously adorned her face dropped into a frown before rising once more into a rather sad rendition of a grin, the corners of her mouth trembling with suppressed anxiety, "Wh -- Why?"  
  
He gave her a look that told her it was none of her business why, "I have some things to take care of."  
  
*ARGH! He's going to ruin EVERYTHING!* Hilde's inner voice screamed as her mind searched for something more to say, "When will you be back?!" She noticed belatedly that she was very nearly shouting at him.  
  
"About two hours."  
  
"Um . . . ok." She choked out, close to tears at the thought of her beautiful plan crumbling to dust before her very eyes.  
  
"Bye."  
  
"WAIT!" Dear Lord, was that her that just bellowed like a friggin' banshee at the guy she wanted to set her friend up with? Where were her manners? Obviously, by the look on his face, Trowa was thinking the very same thing . . . minus the part about set ups. Time to think fast. "Um, on your way home, can you pick up a pizza? Me and Cathy don't feel like cooking and we have a stack of movies to watch."  
  
"Sure."  
  
"Thanks!" She flashed him a rather obnoxious grin and signed off, breathing a sigh of relief. Catherine's favorite pizzeria was enroute to the club Relena and her date would be heading to after dinner, and if they were lucky enough and the timing was just right, Relena and Trowa would bump into each other. An evil giggle escaped her. She was so clever!  
  
"What was all the shouting about?" Catherine asked, setting a steaming cup of tea and a cup of coffee on the small table next to the couch.  
  
"Trowa's gonna be two hours late."  
  
"That's nice -- WHAT!!!! You had better be joking!" Cathy stared at her in horror.  
  
"Nope. I'm totally serious but never fear! I think I may have found a solution to overall failure!"  
  
Eyes narrowed, Catherine snorted.  
  
"I asked him to bring us a pizza!"  
  
Hilde decided she did not particularly like the look she was receiving from the knife-thrower. This feeling of dislike was verified by the words that left said knife-thrower's lips a few moments after the look, "Hilde, I think all this scheming has finally gotten to you. Sit down dear, calm down, and wait while I get the nearest mental hospital on the line."  
  
"Damn it Cathy --"  
  
"Now now, aren't you the one always fussing at Duo for having a potty mouth?"  
  
"FOCUS CATHY!!!! Now, where is your favorite pizzeria?"  
  
"Corner of 34th and Mowley."  
  
"And where is the club Relena and her date are going to?"  
  
"Mo . . . I get it! Good job Hilde!"  
  
"Yes, I know. I'm so brilliant."  
  
Calming down, the crisis seemingly over, the two girls popped a movie in the VCR and settled down to watch, confident in the knowledge that all hope was not lost.  
  
***  
  
~ Roughly two hours later in town . . . ~  
  
Relena was miserably trying to find a way to plead some excuse or another to successfully get away from the jerk that was her date, Joseph William Krapper III. He was everything from arrogant to witless, and right now, he was drunk.  
  
"Come on, Mr. Krapper," she bit her tongue on the chuckle that rose to her throat, "let's get you home." She looked around for the limo that was supposed to be parked just outside but myseriously wasn't. Turning a little, she opened her mouth to ask the valet where their limo was when her date tore his arm out of her grip, staggering back precariously, his eyes glaring daggers at her.  
  
"You can't tell me what to do! I'm the man here! Now shut up and tell that driver you're walking to the club with me."  
  
Oh boy, what was she going to do now? If she went with him, she was certain he would try something, but she didn't want him making a bigger scene than he already was. She was at an impasse, and all because of one bottle of champagne.  
  
"Very well, sir. I accept your invitation." Maybe she could sneak away at some point to call Milliardo to come help her out. Right now, she needed to make sure this ass hole got to the club in one piece then she would think of what to do next.  
  
Reluctantly, she allowed him to tuck her hand into the cradle of his arm while her other hand clutched the ends of her shawl tighter around her shoulders.  
  
She really hated this. Every single man Milliardo had arranged to date her was the same. They would put on nice airs for her brother, but the second she was alone with them, it was as if there were a sign hanging around her neck saying 'Hit on ME!' Sometimes it went beyond mere passes, and she would have to get help from an outside source, a chance passerby or some other person who just happened to be convenient. They usually expected her to pay too, and while this didn't necessarily bother her, she thought it would be nice if, just once, she could go on a casual date at a fair or something with a friend, someone she could get along with, and have them pay for . . . well, whatever. That's all she wanted, a nice, *normal* date with someone she could call a friend.  
  
This date had been the worse so far. Joseph's false charm, arrogance, and blatant sexual harassment were something she had not been mentally prepared for. The ride to the restaurant had been somewhat quiet, neither of them talking very much and him staring at her like she was a slab of premium choice Grade A beef. Dinner had been a disaster she didn't want to dwell on. He had yelled at the waiter for everything under the sun and moon, from seating arrangements to the silverware, from the appetizers to dessert, and finally from the water to the wine. She had been mortified with his horrible table manners and even more disturbed by his disregard for date etiquette. He had made it quite clear where she stood with him -- nowhere. Just like the rest of the men she had been forced to spend time with so far, he didn't even see her as a person but a possession. A doll that came with money, power, and influence. As far as he was concerned, she was ripe for the taking, and he was going to be the one to own her.  
  
Shuddering slightly, she tried to pry her hand from his arm when his other hand swung around to impact with her face . . . hard. Her head whipped to the side, her now-loose hand coming up to cup the stinging heat of her cheek, her startled eyes swiveling to meet his drunken ones.  
  
"Bitch," he spat in her face, approaching her.  
  
This was not good. Her survival instinct kicked in, and Relena moved to run. She didn't get very far, his hand clutching the back of her gown and shawl halting her progress. Her mind raced madly. What in the hell was going on? What had she done to trigger this? How was she going to get out of this?  
  
Blue eyes darted from side to side. When had the street become so empty?  
  
She was pulled back against him, his arm snaking around her waist while the other held her arm pinned between their bodies in a painful grip, and with horror, she realized she had no voice to scream.  
  
Distantly she heard the squeal of tires skidding on the cement and the rustle of leaves. Was someone coming?  
  
"You were thinking about him, weren't you Princess? You were making eyes at that god damn waiter all night! You are MINE! I've watched you since you were Queen, and you will always belong to me, understand?"  
  
She shuddered again when she felt his hand traveling downward towards her . . .   
  
Fear stabbed through her heart, and she began to struggle in his hold, not caring when she heard and felt the fabric of her dress give, ripping away from her skin. In an act of desperation, fueled by the adrenaline pumping through her body, Relena brought her heel down upon his foot, effectively breaking his middle toe in the process.  
  
He yelped in pain, letting her go with an acid curse, just as the headlights of a car illuminated him and a bush jumped at him from out of nowhere. By then, Relena was so lost in her own miserable world and running away too fast to notice she had been saved.  
  
***  
  
~ Meanwhile, somewhere nearby . . . ~  
  
"Here ya go kid," the old chef smiled brightly as he handed a boxed pizza to his silent customer.  
  
Trowa accepted the pizza with a nod and left with nary a goodbye.  
  
Stepping out into the street, Trowa walked, unseeing, towards the place he had come to think of as 'home', which, for him, was a pretty big step towards humanity. He'd never had a home before, and now he not only had a place to go to when the sun set, he also had friends and family who cared about him. It just never ceased to amaze him.  
  
And yet he couldn't let go of the war. The fighting, the killing . . . terrorism was what he was raised for, and even though there were no more serious threats to peace, he couldn't let go of his Gundam either. In fact, that was what he had been doing for the past two hours, a maintenance check on Heavyarms.  
  
Sighing softly, he shifted his hold on the pizza, and tried to focus on the stretch of cement ahead of him when he spotted a red blur moving toward him.p  
  
Narrowing his eyes, he studied the blur till it came into focus and then --  
  
*WHAM*  
  
The red blur, which just happened to be a woman dressed in a red cocktail dress, crashed into him, but he didn't budge, having braced himself for the impact. The pizza wasn't as lucky and was now splattered on the sidewalk. Meanwhile, the red blur had gotten over the momentary shock of running into him and was now babbling.  
  
"I'm so sorry Mister! Let me help you w-- Trowa? Oh! Thank God! Trowa!"  
  
His eye(s) widened so slightly it wasn't even noticeable, "Relena." He took in her appearance with an analytical eye. Her hair had come slightly unraveled on one side, a few strands hanging in her face, free of the constraining hair arrangement. One cheek was stained with an angry red handprint, tears further marring the pale skin of her face. He noticed her hands were clutching her dress to her chest, as if holding the material was the only method by which to keep herself covered, and further study unearthed the revelation that the dress had been torn open rather savagely in the back.  
  
It didn't take a rocket scientist to figure out what had happened, and Trowa was by no means a stupid man. Relena had been attacked and possibly sexually assaulted. The fear in Relena's blue eyes said enough.  
  
And then she was hugging him as if he were an anchor keeping her from drowning in a sea of pain, sobbing into his chest while he just stood there stunned.  
  
Not knowing what to do, his arms stiffly moved to hold her, more to keep her dress from falling to the ground than to comfort her, or at least, that's what he tried to tell himself. She trembled in his embrace, her sobs shaking her entire body as the panic drained out of her and the realization that she was safe filtered in.   
  
A few moments later, Relena sniffed and shuddered against him, signifying she had calmed down, but she didn't move, too afraid her legs wouldn't hold her weight any longer, "I'm sorry I ruined your dinner . . . I'll buy you another one."  
  
Trowa shook his head, "What happened?"  
  
"It's . . . nothing. I just . . I'll just go home. Thank you, Trowa. I'm sorry for wetting your shirt." She began to pull away, her arms again coming up to hold the red, shimmery material to her breasts as she smiled for his benefit, the tears still running down her face but with less frequency.  
  
He shook his head again, setting his lips in a firm line of command, "Come with me."  
  
He didn't wait for her to resist, but grabbed her upper arm and began to lead her towards the circus. He couldn't let her return home like this to Zechs. Catherine and Hilde would be able to get her to talk about whatever happened, she would feel better, and then he could track down whoever had done this to her and kill him -- along with the others, of course.  
  
"Trowa? You're hurting me," her quiet voice whispered through the darkness, and he relaxed his grip on her arm.  
  
"Sorry."  
  
"It's ok."  
  
No it wasn't. He was supposed to protect her, not hurt her more than she already had been. An unsettling thought came to him: Where was Heero while Relena was being attacked?  
  
Relena felt Trowa tense beside her, his hand pulling her a little closer, as if to shield her from some unseen threat. It was such a minute gesture, Relena wondered if she hadn't just imagined it, but that small movement, imagined or not, caused an odd sense of peace to flow through her. She felt comfortable with him, and before she could stop herself, she was speaking.  
  
"I didn't expect it," she said softly, and he glanced at her, listening silently, "I mean, there was always the possibility, but I just didn't think it would actually happen. He was drunk . . . I should have told him to slow down, that he'd had too much. I should have picked up the warning signs, especially when he yelled at me outside the restaurant, but I didn't. I just . . . didn't. I guess I didn't think he would try anything or . . . I don't know. I'm so confused about everything."  
  
She fell silent for a few moments then took a shuddering breath, "I shouldn't be burdening you with this."  
  
"Keep going."  
  
His voice was so soothing, deep and velvety. Relena tipped her head up to look at him as they walked side by side, "It's not the first time one of my dates has gotten fresh, but this is the first time one of them has gotten violent. I'm so tired of it, and it isn't as if I don't give them a chance; but a girl can only stand getting fondled so many times before she begins doubting she'll ever find a decent man to spend her life with.  
  
"I mean, this wasn't even my idea in the first place," her voice picked up a little volume, anger and long bottled up frustration reflected in every word, "All I want is a date that respects me, someone I can get along with and have a nice time with! I just want to go to a fair or some other casual function and laugh! I haven't laughed in what seems like years, and I want to laugh with someone who actually cares if I'm having a nice time! Is it so much to ask that one of those stupid men my brother sets me up with actually wants me for who I am instead of how much money they'll get if they succeed in bagging me!?"  
  
Trowa didn't offer an answer, and Relena let out a deep breath, thankful to have vented all of her cooped up irritation. She had never expressed her real feelings on the issue to anyone, including Catherine or Hilde, and now that she had, she felt drained and tired. Leaning against Trowa's shoulder, Relena moved her arm from his grip to wind both hands around his arm and whispered, "Thank you."  
  
Her silent companion didn't give any sign that he had heard her, but she knew he had . . . somehow she just knew.  
  
In the distance, a man in a suit with Prussian blue eyes and a man-sized bush watched them with satisfied smiles. Maybe Hilde and Catherine hadn't been wrong afterall.  
  
  
  
  
  



	4. Aftermath Intervals

Hello Everyone!!! ^_^ After struggling with school, work, and tendonitis of the wrist I have FINALLLLY finished this chapter *takes deep breath*! I'd like to thank everyone who reads my stuff and give my appreciation to those who have written me, encouraged me, and given me constructive criticism! Thanks bunches! ^_^  
  
Oi, this isn't exactly what I would term a "chapter"....It's especially strange for me but then I was feeling kinda strange when I wrote it. The eheh introduction is just me being....strange but it actually does set up the rest of the "chapter" in which I answer a few questions that were left open by chapter 2.  
  
Disclaimer: Don't own GW *cries hysterically on Quatre's shoulder as he tears up as well*.  
  
For those of you who have missed out on the story so far, here's what's been goin' down (not that you really want a recap but . . . ):  
  
Milliardo, in his infinite wisd . . . er . . . stupidity *dodges the various rotten veggies the multitude of Zechs/Milliardo worshippers throw at her*, announces to the world that Relena, who had been previously involved with Heero *hordes of Heero/Relena supporters throw the Heero-patented-death-glare in her direction*, is available. As a result, thousands upon thousands of jerk . . um . . men heh ^_^ vie for the once-in-a-lifetime chance to date the infamous ex-Queen of the World. Of course, Relena is NOT happy about this arrangement and, with the help of a very convenient jar of salsa, beans her meddling older brother in the head *Zechs lovers rush after Kysra w/ torches and various implements of death* (Don't worry, no extremely sexy, blond bish men whose alias' are too numerous to count were ~seriously or permanently~ hurt during the aforementioned semi-violent action).  
  
After weeks of meaningless, torturous blind dates, Relena had had it and threatened the clueless Milli with the terror-inducing possibility of his fanclub as guests in the house *grin*, and as if that weren't enough, his wife, Noin *Z/N fans rejoice*, sets down his penance and tells him, in no uncertain terms, that he will be spending an extended amount of time on the couch for the time being *Z/N lovers glare*.  
  
Meanwhile, Relena's friends, namely Hilde and Catherine, decide to help their lovelorn friend by finding the PERFECT mate for her, and who do they choose but TROWA!!!!! *collective gasp*. As to how they plan to push those two crazy kids together, well, their first try sure did come out with good results . . . sorta. See, Relena had this date with this Krapper guy *snort* who was a jerk in the extreme. Anyway, they had PLANNED that Heero would go undercover as the chauffeur (No, Relena did NOT sense that it was him), and Duo would follow them in the guise of a *cough* bush. At the appropriate time, Catherine would ask Trowa to go to a convenience store, conveniently -- oi what a horribly lame joke hehe -- located a few miles from the restaurant Krapper had chosen, BUT Trowa called Hilde (actually Catherine but Hilde was the one who answered) and told her he was going to be late coming home which totally threw Hilde into a panic. Thinking quickly, Hilde told him to pick up a pizza on his way home, knowing that, if fate was on their side, Trowa and Relena would meet up near the restaurant or the club which would Krapper and Relena's destination after dinner.  
  
Was fate on Hilde and Catherine's side? Of course, it was silly! This IS a Trowa/Relena ficcy afterall, and what would be the point if fate wasn't on their side?? *grin* Ok, on with this, so after dinner, Relena helps the drunk Krapper out of the restaurant, and at his prompting (read: demand), forces Relena to go to the club with him. Now, Relena looked for the limo which was supposed to be there to pick them up, but it mysteriously wasn't (Heero who is expecting Trowa to come around the corner any minute now was following the plan which specifically said DON'T PICK RELENA UP!!!). So Relena walks with the lush (Krapper) towards the club. (Almost there people! *readers cheer*) So, here she is, in the middle of an empty street with the sod, thinking of how GREAT it would be to get away from him when he slaps her!!!! YES HE SLAPPED RELENA!! THE B@ST@RD!!! *Relena fans (me included) and G-boys growl* Krapper, under the influence of the alcohol and his regular stupidity, molests her . . . almost but just in the nick of time, a BUSH (Duo) jumps on him just as Relena breaks free and runs. And who does she run into (literally) but -- you guessed it -- TROWA!!! *Relena/Trowa fans cheer emphatically*  
  
Now, I bet everyone's wondering what happened to Krapper, Heero, and Duo, not to mention, where were Heero and Duo when Relena was in trouble. Do you actually think I woulda left you in the dark? Of COURSE, I would!!!! *cackles evilly then suffers a coughing fit* Heh -- ahem -- that is, I would, but it really isn't necessary for me to keep it a secret, so I'll put all of you out of your curious misery and tell ya! . . . in intervals heh ^_^ (I'm also doing this cuz it's buggin' me, and I won't be able to get to the good mushy stuff till I do this. Damn overactive muses *grumbles*)  
  
Interval #1 -- Where WERE Duo and Heero? (Ok all you yaoi-lovers, this is non-yaoi got it? I don't do yaoi, besides Duo is MARRIED TO HILDE!)  
  
"This SO sucks!"  
  
". . ."  
  
"I woulda thought you would say something like that! At least, you're not a friggin' bush!"  
  
". . ."  
  
"AAAGGGHHH!!! Sometimes I wish you would just . . . just --"  
  
"Duo. Shut. Up."  
  
"React! Yay! I got you to speak!"  
  
"Hn."  
  
Duo grinned evilly and began to sing "I am Henry VIII I am". . . loudly, very loudly, so loudly that people were stopping to listen on the streets, trying to see the singing bush which just happened to be seated in the back seat of a very snazzy looking shiny, black limo.  
  
Meanwhile, Heero was giving serious thought to outright cold-blooded murder, never mind that it was his 'friend' that would be the target. In an effort to shut Duo's unbelievably loud, off-key voice out of his mind, Heero pressed a little red button on the dashboard, smirking as several hidden panels were suddenly revealed.  
  
"Whoa! Noin didn't forget anything, did she? Damn, there's even a friggin' thermal scan on her!" Of course, this came from Duo who had gotten bored of being 'Henry VIII' and was now shoving his nose where it didn't belong -- namely, the front seat along with Heero.  
  
Ignoring his loud (and smelly) companion, Heero batted a stray leaf away from his cheek, and started analyzing the various maps, bleeps, and schematics which basically all showed the same thing: Relena's approximate location. She wasn't where she was supposed to be.  
  
"Hey! Isn't Relena supposed to be --"  
  
"Yes." With a glare that could melt gundamium, Heero punched a blue button near the steering wheel which would activate the bug Noin had planted in Relena's necklace.  
  
Static met their ears before Heero found the correct channel and " . . . me what to do! I'm the man here! Now shut up and tell that driver you're walking to the club with me."  
  
"Krapper." Duo stated, not that Heero didn't know the voice of the man, afterall, he HAD sworn his life to Relena's protection. Of course, 'that driver' was currently 40 miles away with a bush that just happened to have acquired a sprained ankle from some freak accident or another, though Heero suspected the injury was just a product of Duo's foolishness.  
  
They listened anxiously. Trowa should be there any minute now. Actually, Trowa should have been there a long time ago. What the hell was keeping him?  
  
"Very well, sir. I accept your invitation." Relena's voice reached them, and Duo whistled softly at the barely concealed worry in the soft appeasing murmur. It was obvious to him that Relena was doing her best to harness what little control of the situation she had.  
  
WHERE WAS TROWA!!!???  
  
"I knew this was a bad idea," Duo said softly. There was a stretch of silence broken only by the sound of Relena's heels scraping the cement and the occasional rustle of cloth. The two were walking.  
  
"They're headed toward the club." Heero shifted gears, heading towards Relena's location. If that bastard tried anything . . . Duo didn't want to think about it.  
  
The ride was silent, the two men still listening to the soft sounds of Relena's walk with the drunken man, the tension thick in the air.  
  
A scuffle, then the distinct sound of skin slapping against skin.  
  
"Bitch!"  
  
Heero's eyes narrowed dangerous as his foot slammed down on the accelerator while Duo's face dropped into a scowl. No one called Relena a bitch, let alone hit her. This guy was gonna pay dearly, sprained ankle or no.  
  
"You were thinking about him, weren't you Princess? You were making eyes at that god damn waiter all night! You are MINE! I've watched you since you were Queen, and you will always belong to me, understand?"  
  
Absolutely ridiculous. The only person Relena had EVER made eyes at in her entire life was Heero, but she was never flirtatious. In fact, if anything, the girl-woman was as stand-offish with men as she was with everyone, believing if she cared too much, the danger surrounding her would inevitably encompass those she loved. It was a feeling the Gundam pilots could definitely relate too. The fact this guy even remotely believed he had any claim to her made Duo's temperature rise as blistering anger enveloped his senses. Relena belonged to no one . . .   
  
Although, Hilde would say she belonged to Trowa, he thought wryly.  
  
"Dammit, where is he?" Heero ground out between clenched teeth. Of course, Duo knew exactly who he was talking about. He had been wondering the exact same thing.  
  
"Drop me off here. I want first dibs on the guy's nose."  
  
Heero didn't slow down.  
  
"Fine, fine, I'll do it the hard way, but you're gonna have to deal with Hilde." Duo said mock-seriously as he opened the car door and poised to jump.  
  
"Don't break the pavement," Heero muttered before putting even more pressure on the accelerator.  
  
Duo just smirked before jumping from the speeding vehicle. For one second, he felt as if he were floating, but he couldn't enjoy it. Folding his hands across his chest and squeezing his legs together, he held his breath, waiting for impact.  
  
It wasn't long in coming.  
  
He rolled across the street, eyes clamped shut, the wind knocked out of him, his ankle a blazing ball of fiery pain, and for a few endless moments, it seemed as if he would never stop rolling. When he finally did, he offered a very brief, abbreviated prayer of thanks to whatever deity had allowed him to survive a drop like that, before springing up to half-hop, half-run towards Relena's position, trying to ignore his injured ankle.  
  
It didn't take long to spot them since he took one of the back routes he knew of, and what he saw only made him even more enraged, Krapper had Relena pinned against him, her arm crushed between them at a decidedly painful looking angle, his hand straying too low for his own good.  
  
Duo lunged for the man just as Relena broke free on her own and the screech of the limo's tires met his ears. Heero was here, and Relena was not, which was probably a good thing since she was a pacifist and would be obliged to stop him and Heero from beating the living shit out of the guy. At least she was headed to a crowded area.  
  
Launching himself onto Krapper's back, Duo made good on his claim . . . and broke the bastard's nose while Heero got to work on the rest of him.  
  
~ About 15 minutes later . . . ~  
  
"Ah, what a great workout! Wasn't that fun? We shoulda been doing this to all of Relena's dates!"  
  
Heero actually smirked as they half-dragged, half-carried the dead weight of the extensively beaten Krapper towards the dumpster. With their combined strength, the comrades hoisted the offending man into the trash bin. He would live, but it would be a very painful life for the next few months.  
  
"So where is she?" Duo asked once they had distanced themselves somewhat from Krapper's hiding place, his violet eyes betraying his concern. They had found scraps of material from her dress along with the red shawl she had been wearing, not to mention a few fallen hairpins. He was just glad they had gotten there before anything worse had occurred. An evil grin filled with something akin to pride slid across his face as he remembered how Relena had nailed that guy in the foot good with her spiked heel. They were definitely rubbing off on her.  
  
When they finally caught up with the runaway Princess (which took longer than it should have since Duo had to hold onto Heero for support), they were hard pressed to believe what met their eyes, but damned if Trowa wasn't with her! And she was leaning against him too!  
  
Smiling a little, Duo turned his head to find Heero smiling as well.  
  
Interval #2 -- What exactly happened between Trowa and Relena after meeting up?  
  
She couldn't face them.  
  
Of course, it was kind of late to realize that now, but looking at that happily lit trailer, hearing the laughter bubbling from inside where her two friends were enjoying good times with good company, well, Relena just didn't feel like being faced with that right now.  
  
The truth was, she hadn't felt much like anything in the past few weeks . . . ok she HAD felt like running away at one point, but behaving like a child had never been Relena's style.  
  
She wasn't about to start being childish now.  
  
Then why did she have this sudden urge to throw herself at Trowa's feet and beg him not to make her go in there? She squelched the urge with a firm mental slap.  
  
"I can't go in there." There, she had said it out loud, a smidgen of pride welled up inside her at the controlled steadiness of her voice. Her eyes burned as her vision wavered.  
  
No, she WOULD NOT cry in front of him again! One humiliation per night was enough, thank you very much.  
  
" . . . " he stared at her silently, his green eyes glowing cat-like in the night, piercing through whatever reserves of strength she had built up over the last month and a half. It was the straw that broke the camel's back, that intense gaze. Tears streamed down her face as she choked on a sob, her hand covering her eyes as she bowed her head, wanting to shield herself from his calm scrutiny.  
  
For his part, Trowa grimaced as he felt her warm hands detach themselves from his arm, listening to her quiet sobs with a growing apprehension. Did she expect him to comfort her? He wasn't suited to such things, especially when it was a woman he hardly knew, and yet, her tears, silver paths across pale cheeks, inspired an ache within his heart that he couldn't understand. He wanted to know what was troubling her, and he felt a wry half-smile curl his lips. Quatre's influence had indeed changed him for the better.  
  
Sighing and giving his sister's trailer a look of longing, Trowa turned back to Relena and made a quick decision.  
  
"You'll stay with me tonight."  
  
Relena head jerked up as the soft words reached her ears, "No . . . no. I don't want to trouble you, I'll just call Milliardo to pick me up and --"  
  
"You'll stay with me," he reiterated as he grabbed the slim hand that wasn't holding her dress, pulling her towards the trailer next to Catherine's, his warm skin soothing the nervousness that seemed to have turned her stomach into a mass of knots only moments before.  
  
Trowa ushered her into the small space, and she was amazed to find that his home was spotless, everything meticulously in place. There was no sentimental ornamentation, no unique style to the interior decoration, no trappings that would indicate that "Trowa lives here." Nothing. Spartan. Him.  
  
She felt a smile tug at the corners of her mouth, tears forgotten.  
  
Brushing past her, Trowa left Relena to her own devices, walking down the short hall to his bedroom to find suitable clothes for her to wear as he mentally berated himself for inviting her into his home.  
  
What in the world was he thinking? It just wasn't like him to invite strange women into his private living space.  
  
And yet, a voice whispered inside him that this was right, this was Relena, and he needed to take care of her.  
  
Sighing again, he quickly chose a white t-shirt and blue boxer shorts, only to return to Relena who was sitting in the only hard wooden chair occupying the small sitting area, her head bowed over her knees, a hand rubbing closed eyes. He silently watched her from the shadows of the hall, the single lamp illuminating the trailer interior making her now-loose hair glow with artificial yellow light while the pale skin of her hunched shoulders held a golden tinge, the smooth lines of her body clearly visible to his keen eyesight. She was beautiful.  
  
Now why hadn't he noticed that before?  
  
Not wanting to think about it, Trowa stepped into the light and approached her as she looked up at him questioningly.  
  
"Why are you helping me?"  
  
It was an honest question and totally relevant since, before tonight, he and Relena had never spent ten minutes in each others' company at any one time let alone an entire night; but he wasn't going to answer her. He didn't know the answer himself.  
  
Silently, he held out the clothes to her, and with a small smile, she took them, her eyes questioning yet again.  
  
He pointed her in the right direction and watched as she disappeared into his room to change. Sighing yet again that night, he pondered where they would sleep. They COULD NOT share his bed. It was totally out of the question, and he knew, as he had known from the moment he had told Relena she would be staying with him, that he would be sleeping on the floor. It didn't matter. He had slept in worse places, like the cold emptiness of space . . .   
  
A shiver ran down his spine as the memory of floating aimlessly, the vacuum of space pulling him farther and farther away from Earth, the colonies, . . . everyone . . . He again felt the freezing cold of nothingness separated from his skin by nothing but the thin space suit that had become, in a matter of moments, his only means of protection from the killing darkness of the void. He again experienced the loss of memories . . .   
  
"Trowa? Are you ok?"  
  
He jerked his head toward her, eyes filled with a suppressed panic that was fighting to break free, and then he felt his heart stop before bursting into speeds previously unrecorded at the sight that greeted him, thoughts of past horrors flying from his head in the instant his fearful eyes met her concerned ones.  
  
She was a goddess. The white shirt - a few sizes too small for him - clung to her curves, outlining the gentle slope of her breasts, molding to her trim waist, only to highlight the flair of her hips. The shorts fit her snugly, her hips and thighs filling in the thin material in just the right way, the hem reaching mid thigh, making her legs seem endlessly long though she was a good foot shorter than him. The shirt and shorts had never looked like THAT on HIM.  
  
And then she was approaching him, that worried expression still marring her sweet face, and he realized with a certain amount of embarrassment that he was blushing! Thankfully, she didn't seem to notice.  
  
"Trowa?" She stared at his face, half covered by his hair, but didn't dare touch him. He wasn't a touchy-feely person, and the fact remained that, in other circumstances, they would never have found themselves having any real sort of conversation, nevermind this entire strained situation.  
  
He nodded solemnly, indicating that he was alright before busying himself with other trivialities: making certain there was no laundry to be cleaned, checking the sink for dishes, and inspecting the room for objects that had somehow migrated from their rightful location, clearing his mind and calming his racing heart as he did so.  
  
Meanwhile, Relena just sat back and observed, taking in the unconscious grace of his movements, the subtle ease with which he flowed from one action to another. It was hypnotic, the way the muscles of his back and arms would bunch then stretch, smoothing out effortlessly in the mechanics of locomotion. It was amazing, it was beautiful, it was . . .   
  
Her thoughts were broken by the yawn that involuntarily rose to her lips. She blushed as Trowa's green eyes met hers as she fought to cover up her weariness.  
  
She hadn't been sleeping well since the first week of "Relena's Dating Game", plagued by dreams of marrying the wrong man and living out a miserable life as a bitter old woman with no friends, an empty marriage, and no children. Not to mention, she still had to carry her normal workload in the midst of all the dates scheduled at lunch and dinner times. She was just so tired, a shaky weakness settling in her joints, magnified by the unhappiness of her heart.  
  
In his usual non-verbal way, Trowa took Relena's hand, pulling her up from her seat to lead her towards his bedroom, gesturing to the bed.  
  
"Where will you sleep?" Relena asked quietly, not willing to impose upon him more than she already was.  
  
"The floor."  
  
Relena shook her head slightly, opening her mouth to say something.  
  
"Get in bed Relena." Why was it when he used that tone, that commanding but gentle tone, did she have the urge to obey without any questions or doubts?  
  
Staring into his one visible eye, Relena smiled gently before throwing her arms about his neck and whispering a quiet 'Thank you . . . for everything' in his ear, releasing him as quickly as she had embraced him.  
  
Trowa's eyes widened at the contact and stared after her as she entered his small bedroom and closed the door, a barely visible smile touching his lips.  
  
For the first time in months, Relena slept peacefully with the unconscious knowledge that someone was looking after her.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



	5. Symptoms of Attraction

WwwwwhhhhhhhheeeeeeeeeeeeeeEEEEEE I finished another chapter ^_^ This darn chapter took on a life of its own I tell ya, but that's ok! Just a word of warning though, I'm new to this romance business so just bear with while I test out of the waters ok?   
  
Relena seems . . . flighty in this one and she's a bit of a crybaby (at least in my opinion in this particular chapter) but I'll fix that in a few more parts. Also, I did something which I probably, in the long run, will regret big time . . . mentioned a new character ;-; I couldn't HELP it! I LOVE conflict dernit! *sniffs* Of course, she's just MENTIONED in this one but will be seen later on hehehe ^_^  
  
Enjoy even this one IS a bit tedious! Sorry ;_;  
  
Disclaimer: Don't hurt me cuz I love 'em.  
  
False Engagements: Symptoms of Attraction   
by Kysra  
  
"Releeeeeeeeeeeenaaaaaaa!!!" Hilde's singing voice flooded the large study as she literally danced into the room only to stop abruptly, her eyes finding the room devoid of any Relena-like life forms.  
  
No Relena, and the secretary had said she was in too . . . Hhhhhhmmmm . . .   
  
Grinning, Hilde waved the rolled up newspaper in her hand, her eyes shifting around her for any clues of Relena's whereabouts. Shelves . . . no. Closet . . . probably not. Desk . . . AHA! A movement!  
  
She was hiding under the desk. Hilde felt a surge of pride at her own investigative skills.  
  
"Come out, come out wherever you are!" Hilde called, deciding to play the game a little longer while approaching the paper strewn desk, the rain outside punctuating her words with a loud thunder clap which rattled the windows just behind Relena's hiding place.  
  
"Oh come on Relena! We're too old to be playing hide and seek!" She planted her fists on her hips, crumpling the newspaper slightly as she did so, the large grin still adorning her face totally ruining the intimidating stance.  
  
It seemed, Zechs' newest proclamation had Relena even more freaked than Noin had told her. Ah well, desperate times called for desperate measures. Relena wanted the spiel, Relena would get the spiel.  
  
Hilde huffed a breath before officially conceding defeat, letting her friend know just how much she was offended at the lack of trust, "Fine, fine. Have it your way, but really, Relena, I'm just a tad hurt that you would think I would do something so low as to come in here for someone else."  
  
"Just say it already!" Relena's muffled voice cried from beneath the desk, and Hilde had to restrain herself from laughing outloud.  
  
"I, Hilde Maxwell, do solemnly swear I was not sent by Milliardo, Joseph, John, Andrew, Kenneth, Matthew, Daniel, Mark, Billy, Zachary, Thomas, Gregory, Jamie, Ronald, Donald, Nicholas, Marvin, Jacque etc. etc., or any other person of the male gender. Oh yeah, and I'm not here on business either. This is purely a social call which has nothing to do with blind dates, marriage, or the like. Now, did I forget anything?"  
  
*Yeah, like, I'm actually here to set you up with Trowa.*  
  
Relena rose to her knees, her head popping up into view as she climbed into her plush leather chair. "What do you want Hilde?" she sighed wearily, running a hand through her loose hair, the strands tangled and her business suit pulled awry from her previous position beneath the large oak desk. She was acutely aware of how unprofessional she must look at the moment.  
  
Seating herself primly in one of the two arm chairs positioned in front of Relena's desk, Hilde frowned in mock offense, her hand tapping the newspaper against her thigh, "Gee, no greeting for your friend?"  
  
Relena sighed again, "I'm sorry. I just received some distressing news today."  
  
"So I've heard. Does it have anything to do with the line of men I had to walk 5 miles to avoid? In the RAIN."  
  
"Yes. Read." Relena picked up one of the many documents spread across the walnut surface of the desk and handed it to the dark-haired woman, resting her head in both hands while Hilde read the letter silently.  
  
"This is ridiculous! You have to be kidding!" Hilde's eyes shot to Relena's covered face, and her mouth dropped open, "The KING of FRANCE is PROPOSING to you!!!!!????"  
  
"Unfortunately." Relena's muffled voice spoke between slightly parted fingers, "He even sent a pre-nuptial agreement for me to look over."  
  
Hilde stood up as if before the French king himself, her face filled with rebellion and righteous indignation for her friend, "Who the hell does he think he is???!!!"  
  
Lifting her face to the irate girl, Relena quirked an ironic smile, "Who do any of them think they are?"  
  
"Good question, but this . . ." Hilde trailed off, noticing for the first time how ibad/i Relena looked. "Hey, are you ok? You don't look so good . . . Milliardo isn't pressuring you to accept, is he?" Her brows drew together as she stared at the blonde in concern.  
  
Relena smiled reassuringly but couldn't help the sigh that escaped her lips, "I'm fine. What did you come all the way here for? And in this storm no less!"  
  
Leaning back in her chair, Hilde gave Relena a speculative look. It didn't take a rocket scientist to know the Vice Foreign Minister was trying to derail the conversation, but Hilde wasn't one to push the issue. She knew all too well how stressful Relena's life could be and also knew that her friend would open up in her own time. Besides, she had an agenda of her own.  
  
"Ah, I just wanted to know if you had seen today's paper yet."  
  
Light blue eyes widened slightly, intrigued, "No. Why?"  
  
Grinning triumphantly, Hilde unrolled the paper in her hand to lay it down on the littered desk, "Read the headline."  
  
Relena's eyes lazily traveled the large black print before widening in comprehension, "'Taking Out the Trash'? Joseph was beaten then deposited in a trash bin!?"  
  
"It would seem so," Hilde replied with an amused expression. Duo had revealed all after Sally was called in to doctor his injured ankle. She knew all about Heero and Duo's activities during the first attempt at matchmaking, which meant she also knew about the attack on Relena and the run in with Trowa.  
  
But she couldn't let Relena know that she knew. She also couldn't leave without getting the scoop on what happened AFTER Relena had run into Trowa but was realistic enough to know she would probably have to wait till later. She didn't want to add to Relena's stress.  
  
"So that's what the Duke was talking about . . ." Relena mused quietly, her eyes filling with something very much like despair.  
  
"Huh?"  
  
Shaking herself, Relena's mouth tilted in a sad rendition of a half-smile that was no where near reaching her eyes, "This morning I took a call from Joseph's father. He wasn't a very happy man. He kept saying 'it' was all my fault. You've just shown me what the 'it' was." Rubbing a hand across her forehead, Relena sat back in her chair, the leather groaning at the movement. It was then, Hilde noticed how much weight the blonde had lost in the last few days.  
  
This would not do at all.  
  
"Hhhmmmm. Don't think about it."  
  
"What? Hilde, I'm on the verge of a very large lawsuit being strapped to my ass in the midst of all this," she waved a hand negligently around the room to symbolize all the men who wanted a piece of her, "and you're trying to tell me not to think about it?"  
  
Hilde shrugged then grinned, "Yeah. You haven't had a day off in . . . well in months, since the night of the announcement, if memory serves, and all work and no play makes Relena a crabby little Princess."  
  
Relena giggled slightly, her face losing some of the tension built up over the last few months, "So what do you suggest I do to take my mind off of everything?"  
  
"Do the words 'Leo's Karaoke Bar' have any meaning to you?" Hilde watched, feeling a bit victorious, when Relena's face went from a waifish pallor to 20 shades of red in under one second, recognition and embarrassment averting her gaze.  
  
"No way am I going there with you again."  
  
"Oh come on Relena! It'll be fun, and I promise I won't douse you up with alcohol this time . . . though I do admit, you were the life of the party after a few drinks, especially when you started dancing on the table. Honestly, I didn't know you were so flexible and --"  
  
"SHUT UP!!!! I thought you swore never to bring that up again!"  
  
"But it WAS interesting Relena, and the men there certainly thought it was something when you -- EEP!" To say Hilde was surprised when Relena jumped on top of her desk to slap a hand over her mouth would be an understatement. Bright blue eyes filled with suppressed mirth lifted to meet ice blue eyes filled with soul-felt shame and mortification.  
  
"Don't you DARE say it outloud. There's no telling who is bugging this place."  
  
Nodding slowly, Hilde grinned as Relena lifted her hand away from her face, fighting an inner battle with herself not to make one last wisecrack. Ah well, there would be other opportunities. She had more pressing matters on her mind.  
  
"So, you coming with us tomorrow night?"  
  
Relena shook her head with a slight smile, this one more genuine than the last, "I don't want to be a third wheel."  
  
"As if! Besides, Catherine, her newest boytoy, Quatre, Dorothy, and Trowa are coming too. Trowa needs some company!"  
  
Blinking, Relena's mouth slackened into a flat line, her eyes filling with curiosity, "Trowa's going? What happened to Marissa?"  
  
Inwardly, Hilde cheered as she recognized the barely masked hope in Relena's eyes. She wondered briefly if the diplomat even knew it was there. "You didn't hear? She broke off the engagement a little bit before Zechs did the Peacecraft Dating Service routine. I think Catherine said that Marissa said Trowa wasn't affectionate enough for her or some such nonsense."  
  
Relena frowned slightly at that, she had been in his home just a few nights ago, and only now was she realizing there had been no photos of the two ex-fiancés. She had always prided herself on being observant, and this time her senses had failed her. She then wondered why she would even care. "How did he take it?"   
  
"Mmm . . . pretty well actually. I don't think he really cared one way or the other. Everyone's been pressuring him to act 'normal', I think he was just going along to get people off his back."  
  
Sighing, Relena tried to shut out his image from her mind . . . That hair, that face, those eyes . . . . .   
  
Hilde's eyes widened as Relena's face broke out into a world class blush, then grinned as the other girl nervously began to shuffle the papers on the desk into order, careful not to make eye contact.  
  
So Relena was interested.  
  
Heh. Damn was she good or was she good!  
  
"Well?" Hilde nearly broke into song, she was feeling so euphoric.  
  
"W -- well what?" Relena set down the neat stack of paper, only to stare at it, her hands firmly folded in her lap. The letters that spelled his name seemed to jump out at her. God, now she was NEVER going to get him out of her mind.  
  
"Well, are you gonna come with us?" Hilde stood, grinning like a madwoman. It was pretty obvious her friend was tied into knots, and she couldn't resist shooting one last arrow of love into her friend's lonely heart, "Are you gonna come keep Trowa occupied?"  
  
Relena's face flared red, and Hilde suddenly wanted to know what was going through the blonde's mind.  
  
"How about I get back to you on that? What time are you guys leaving?"  
"Around sevenish."  
  
"Ok, I'll call you at five to let you know."  
  
Hilde smiled, "That's fine." She started to walk towards the door, "But if you don't come Trowa will be disappointed!"  
  
Relena looked up, startled as the door slammed shut, "What? Wait! Hilde!" She ran for the door.  
  
***  
  
~ The next day . . . ~  
  
"GET OUT OF MY HEAD!!!!" Relena screamed to her ceiling before collapsing on her bed.  
  
Ever since Hilde's visit yesterday evening, Relena mind had been a jumble of incoherent thought, her memories playing and replaying that moment just outside Trowa's bedroom when she had hugged him. She could feel the warm marble of his shoulders beneath her hands, the heat of his breath fanning her hair, the press of his chest against hers, and the brush of his legs against her own. She could smell his scent as she turned her face into the bed sheets, could imagine what it would feel like to be embraced by him.  
  
But was that what she wanted? Why was she suddenly so interested in Trowa, a guy who she had never really been close to, never really thought of in a more-than-friendly light? Was this sudden attraction real? Did he share her confusion? Was she going out of her mind?  
  
Sighing, she turned to her side, staring at the thick line of navy blue fabric of the dress laid out for her. Joseph's father had called a meeting with herself and Milliardo to discuss the violence Joseph had met with directly after attacking her. She also had to meet the King of France tonight to give him her answer.  
  
Tears of frustration rose to her eyes as her hand reached out to clutch the material. It wasn't fair. Were there NO decent men in the world?  
  
Her eyes widened. That was it! Trowa was decent! Trowa was sweet and kind and gentle, and he hadn't made a pass at her once! That explained this sudden interest! She was so sick of all the dogs slobbering over her that she had latched onto the first man who didn't thrust himself at her.  
  
Relief washed through her. Now all she had to do was ride out the storm and let this phase pass. She also had to avoid Trowa like the plague. He wouldn't want her anyway. No on wanted her for what she was.  
  
Heaving a depressed sigh, Relena tried once more to banish thoughts of the man to no avail, sitting up and staring out her window.  
  
Maybe a walk would do her some good. It was a gorgeous day outside, the sky painted a clear, bright blue, the warm air just right for a day of leisure out of doors, and the grass green and crisp. It was something out of an ideal painting . . . if you just erased the line of men standing outside her door.  
  
Yes, a walk was just what she needed to clear her head before her dual meetings with His Majesty King Jean-Pierre and the Duke Krapper. Now if only she could figure out a way to sneak out without having Noin, Milliardo, or her guards call an alert . . . Her eyes fell on her balcony as one corner of her mouth lifted up in a sly half-grin.  
  
First things first, she needed to call Hilde . . . Then she could try her luck at escape.  
  
She only hoped fate wouldn't work against her.  
  
***  
  
"She's not coming." Catherine announced sadly, her hands buried in the towel she was drying her damp hair with.  
  
"WHAT??!!" Hilde screeched.  
  
It was at that point Catherine decided that she would definitely need to talk to Hilde about volume control.  
  
"She's. Not. Coming. It seems our extremely serious friend has two meetings tonight. One with Mr. Krapper's daddy, and the other with the King of France . . . Why does she have a meeting with the King of France?"  
  
"He proposed to her," Hilde threw over her shoulder, her attention fixed on applying her mascara correctly.  
  
"WHAT??!!"  
  
Hilde winced as she felt her eardrums pop. She really needed to talk to Cathy about her volume.  
  
"You heard me. You should see the line of guys outside her mansion. Good Lord, what I wouldn't give to have that many men after me."  
  
"Be careful what you wish for . . ." Cathy trailed off, trying to zip up her dress.  
  
Hilde smirked, "Yeah I know, especially since Relena's pick leaves a lot to be desired . . . "  
  
They fell into an easy silence, both preparing for their night out and silently fuming over their postponed matchmaking attempt. Ah well, at least the first time around, though derailed from the original plan, was a success.  
  
A few hours later saw their group: Hilde, Duo, Catherine, her boyfriend Roger, Dorothy, Quatre, and Trowa (who was noticeably less than thrilled at the idea of such an outing), walking down the street, on their way to Leo's.   
  
That is, they were on their way to Leo's until . . .   
  
"OW! Damn it Hilde, loosen the grip there!" Duo hissed, trying to break his arm out his wife's death grip.  
  
She ignored him, "You guys go on ahead. I, uh, forgot something at the apartment. Cathy, you coming?"  
  
"Well, actually, I think I'll just go on ahead with the rest and --" She was cut off by the glare Hilde shot her, and suddenly realized Hilde had something up her sleeve, "Um . . . that is of course I'll accompany you!"  
  
Duo shot them both a look filled with suspicion and misgiving, "Fine. Don't be too long."  
  
"Wait a sec! You're coming with us!" Hilde's voice brooked no argument, and Cathy was suddenly very aware of Trowa and Quatre's speculative gazes. They knew something was up.  
  
Not waiting for resistance, Hilde took first Duo's arm then Cathy's as she made their apologies and left their friends to fend for themselves, turning in the direction of the apartment.  
  
When they were out of earshot, Hilde turned on her heel to look her husband in the eye, "Duo, will you do me a favor honey?"  
  
Duo grinned, leaning forward a bit to stare into her eyes seductively while Cathy groaned and made to move away, "That depends on the favor."  
  
"Well, see that girl over there?" Hilde pointed across the street to the park.  
  
Cathy gasped, "No way! It's Relena!"  
  
And indeed it was the ever elusive, painfully single Vice Foreign Minister Relena Darlian Peacecraft, Relena to her friends, walking across the park with a very vacant look on her pretty face.  
  
Realization dawned on Duo's face, "Oh no. Oh HELL naw! They ain't interested Hilde! Trowa ain't interested! Rel --"  
  
"What am I not interested in?"  
  
"AAAAAAGGGGGHHHHH!!!!! Don't do that Trowa! You scared the living shit outta --"  
  
"Duo!" Hilde shot the braided man a sour look before turning to Trowa who had, as usual, a bland look on his face, "It's nothing. We were just on our way to --"  
  
She was interrupted by a scream.  
  
"Oh God! Relena!" Catherine gasped as Trowa and Duo took off running.  
  
***  
  
*This is NOT how I imagined a nice, peaceful walk*, Relena mused calmly in some corner of her mind which wasn't disturbed by the fact that someone was currently holding a knife to her throat. *This will teach me to sneak out without at least one body guard, and I didn't even bring my purse to bribe him to let me go. Figures.*  
  
He had come up behind her as she approached the central fountain, wanting to sit and think near the spraying water. She should have been more observant, her mind miles away missing the hurried footsteps until one arm circled her waist while the other pressed against her throat, the cold, sharp edge of the knife skimming the area just above her jugular.  
  
"Oh God," she choked out, eyes squeezed shut, hoping against all hope that this was just some nightmare . . . that the last few months were just a really long, drawn out nightmare. What did it take to get a GOOD day?  
  
She could hear people screaming and running, could imagine mothers carrying their children away. They were understandably scared, but there was something inside her that rose in anger, a red blanket of rage covering the area beneath her closed eyelids. Fury at the man who held her, indignation at the King of France, frustration at the men who sought her hand, and disgust at the people who still favored violence in opposition to peaceful negotiation.  
  
Biting her lower lip, Relena clenched her hands into fists, holding her tongue lest she let loose all of her bottled up emotion and attempt murder.  
  
"Alright bitch," hot breath licked at the skin of her jaw, "Who messed with my brother?"  
  
Aha, Krapper's brother. How was it she could get on the bad side of an entire family without lifting a finger?  
  
"I don't know." It was a totally honest answer, one that she had reflected on quite a bit after finding out what had befallen her boorish suitor.  
  
"Like hell you don't," the man holding her sneered, the knife biting into her skin, a trickle of warmth trailing down her neck. He had cut her.  
  
Choking back a sob or scream, she didn't know which, Relena opened her blue eyes to the sky, "I swear I don't," she whispered hoarsely, "I wasn't even there."  
  
If he hadn't been holding a knife to her neck, if he hadn't been holding her in such a way that any movement would alert him to any attack she might attempt, she would have given him the same treatment she had given his brother, a nice heel in the foot. Of course, it would have helped more if she was wearing heels in the first place.  
  
She felt his lips near her ear before his teeth closed down on her earlobe, drawing the flesh into his mouth as he sucked. The sensation caused a strong feeling of nausea to overwhelm her before she heard the loud crack of a gunshot.  
  
Suddenly, she was flying, her body knocked away by something hard crashing into her, but she didn't get to enjoy the feeling of relief since she found herself immersed in the shallow but cold waters of the fountain she had been so eager to reflect by.  
  
This day just couldn't get any better. Really.  
  
"Relena! Relena, are you ok!?" Catherine took one of her hands while Hilde took the other. They were only blurred images obstructed by her hair which had come loose from its scrunchy and was now plastered over her face.  
  
Oh no. Thin white shirt + water = . . .   
  
"Eep!" Relena scrambled to cover her chest, pulling her hands away from Hilde and Catherine only to lose her balance and --  
  
*SPLASH*  
  
Well, you get the idea . . .   
  
Meanwhile, Trowa had wrestled the attacker to the ground while Duo called the authorities via a handy, dandy cel phone.  
  
"I don't fucking believe this!"  
  
Trowa glanced over his shoulder at Duo who was staring at the phone as if everything was all it's fault, "What?"  
  
"They put me on hold! Damned --"  
  
A sob broke through to silence him as Relena broke down into tears, the whole ordeal catching up to her, the collar of her button down dress shirt stained pink with diluted blood. The blonde pushed her soaked hair away from her face, just sitting in the water as she cried miserably.  
  
Slipping her shoes off, Cathy climbed into the fountain to help Relena out just as the sound of sirens met their ears. That was about the time Relena started laughing through her tears.  
  
"I'm such a mess," she giggled, sniffing loudly. "What will His Majesty think?" She proceeded to collapse to the ground in a hysterical fit of laughter.  
  
"I think she's finally cracked," Duo said softly.  
  
"Duo!" Hilde whapped his arm lightly, squatting to be level with the laughing woman only to be pushed away by . . .   
  
"I'll bring her home." Trowa. Hilde looked over her shoulder to see that the police had the man handcuffed and were taking him to the police car, the hand that had been holding the knife covered in blood. Didn't they even want to take a statement? Call an ambulance for the girl's neck? There was no telling what kind of germs or other potentially lethal agents had been living on the blade.  
  
As if reading her mind, Trowa crouched down beside her, "It's ok."  
  
Sobered, Relena breathed in deeply and let out a huge sigh, "Sorry. Sometimes you just have to laugh even if the situation doesn't call for it. I mean, who would have thought I would get killed faster by a walk in the park rather than a political assassination?" She crossed her arms over her chest and smiled reassuringly at the worried faces surrounding her, "Well, go on! You'll miss your night out!"  
  
"Relena . . ." Cathy started uncertainly then caught Hilde's eyes which were bouncing between Relena and Trowa like a tennis ball, "Aaahh, um, if you're sure you're ok."  
  
Nodding slightly, Relena bowed her head to stare at her clinging shorts. Damn it, you could see through those too.   
  
She listened as they bid her a hasty farewell and left, but one shadow remained; and considering the vow she had made to herself about avoiding . . . him, she really wasn't looking forward to spending yet another evening in his care.  
  
Or maybe that was, reluctantly looking forward to spending yet another evening in his care . . . Oh who the hell was she kidding . . . She wanted to spend more time with him, get to know him, figure out why he suddenly had this effect on her . . .   
  
"You don't have to see me home. I can take care of myself." And she could . . . when men with knives weren't after her throat. Lifting a delicate hand, she rubbed the spot where the blade had sunk into her skin, feeling the gummy blood there.  
  
Trowa took her hand away to inspect the wound himself, his fingers gentle and warm again her cold, wet flesh, and she suddenly imagined his lips there. An explosion of heat erupted in her nerve endings, causing a million fiery tingles to travel from her neck to her chest and lower and her blood rose to her face. She was vaguely aware of gritting her teeth against a moan so hard a blossom of pain shot through her head, slightly masking the sensations such an innocent touch from his hand produced.  
  
Fingers took her chin as her head was turned toward his, green eyes boring into her red face, "Does it hurt?" It was then that she realized she was still gritting her teeth.  
  
Smiling a forced smile and consciously degritting her teeth, Relena made an effort to at least act normal in the face of her current state of . . . whatever it was he was doing to her, "No . . no it doesn't hurt. Listen, if you insist on staying with me, can we go somewhere? . . . I don't want to go home just yet. Too many reminders of --"  
  
She paused at his nod and the feel of his arm wrapping around her back to hoist her up, his lips close to the ear her attacker had sucked upon, "First, you need dry clothes."  
  
It was unreal, the shiver that ran through her body at the sound of his voice, the intensity of it drowning her senses as she nodded dumbly, the hand at the small of her back wreaking havoc on her nerves. Her body was suffused with warmth at the fire he had ignited, her mind chanting that it was just her imagination, that she was just lonely and sick of being drooled after by money-grubbers who only wanted two things from her which did NOT include her personality. Trowa was just different, and she was reacting to that difference in a way that was painfully stimulating. That was ALL!  
  
And as she looked up at him, making their way, once more, to his home, she had a fleeting image of herself in his arms, and she knew, in that instant, that this 'phase' was going to last a very long time.  
  
***  
  
"I'm sorry . . . about Marissa."  
  
Trowa turned his head, startled, to the woman sitting beside him. After reaching his place, Relena had showered and donned an oversized sweater that reached her knees, virtually burying her body in the thick insulation.  
  
And it still wasn't enough to keep his attention from her legs. What in the hell was going on with him? He hadn't been able to stop thinking about her since that night . . .   
  
The heat in the small living space he called 'home' as unbearable, so he had suggested sitting outside to not only wait for their dinner to finish cooking but also to give himself suitable breathing room. Of course, he hadn't taken into account that sitting would inevitably cause the material to ride up her thighs. He had also somehow miscalculated the dimensions of the wooden steps, meaning Relena was sitting next to him, her shoulder pressed against his forearm.  
  
They had sat in relative silence, Relena staring up into the clear but darkening sky, while he watched her on the corner of his eye again astounded by her quiet beauty.  
  
And then he had dropped the bombshell on him.  
  
"Trowa? I'm sorry if I upset you . . ." she looked up at him concerned, her brows drawn over her caring blue eyes.  
  
He shook his head and smiled gently at her, "It doesn't matter. She was seeing someone else."  
  
Relena's eyes widened then dropped to stare at her lap, "I'm sorry. I sorta know how you must feel."  
  
"I didn't love her." Now where the hell did that come from? "What about Heero?"  
  
Brushing a stray lock of golden hair behind her ear, Relena raised her head to look at him again, a sad little smile softening her features, "We decided we were better off as friends. Peace has finally settled into people's hearts, and I didn't need his support anymore . . . Anyway, he's interested in someone else." She noted the question in Trowa's forest green eyes and knew her smile had deepened, Heero's secret screaming to get out.  
  
Her eyes bespoke of a thinly veiled secret amusement, her smile making his breath catch as she teased him without words.  
  
He wasn't going to take the bait. If there was one thing Trowa knew, it was how to bide his time.  
  
She pouted when she realized he wasn't going to play, then stared at him in awe for a few moments as their whole exchange was processed. It was amazing how well he could read her!  
  
"Trowa, can we do this again sometime? Just sit and talk or be silent?" Her voice was filled with hope, and he desired more time with her as well.  
  
He nodded, his mouth dipping in a soft smile as she smiled back, her face turning back to the stars and their celestial light. "Sometimes, words aren't needed," he said softly, his words carried off by the wind before they met her ears. Turning his head, he looked up at the stars, and they were silent.  
  
***  
  
A few hours later, after Relena's clothes had dried and they had eaten dinner, long after Relena was due back at the mansion, Trowa walked the young politician up her front steps and watched her unlock the door with shaking fingers.  
  
They stepped into the large foyer, Trowa first, his hand closed around hers firmly, when . . .  
  
"WHERE THE HELL HAVE YOU BEEN??!!" Milliardo stormed down the stairs in full dress uniform, two older men falling into step behind him while Noin followed at a sedate pace, her face bespeaking her intrigue.  
  
"It's alright Milliardo, Trowa was with me," Relena tried to placate her brother. He wasn't in a placating mood and neither was the younger of the two older men who looked upon Relena with disapproval and Trowa with a sneer of disgust.  
  
"The Princess associates with peasants?"  
  
Relena narrowed her eyes at the man, her mouth open to rebuke him when Trowa squeezed the hand he still held, turning toward her to whisper something in her ear before edging out the door.  
  
Milliardo used that time to take control of the argument, "If you will be so kind, Your Highness, I think I know how to take care of my own sister."  
  
"Fat lot of good you've done Merquise," the other man remarked.  
  
"Relena, I don't think you've had the honor of meeting His Royal Highness Jean-Pierre IV of France or the Duke Richard Krapper III Esquire, Joseph's father," Noin's voice broke into the fray.  
  
The King stepped forward, his business suit pressed to perfection, to bend over her hand, his cold lips skimming over the skin warm from Trowa's previous hold. She suppressed a shiver.  
  
"You are every bit as lovely as Milliardo said you were and more."  
  
Relena's narrowed eyes bore into her brother's form, his face turned away so that he wouldn't have to meet her gaze.  
  
Noin shouldered herself between them, hugging Relena around the shoulders before pushing her toward the stairs, babbling the whole while, "Yes, yes isn't she though? I think she takes after her mother. Anyway, it's been a long day and night for our prestigious young Minister, and I think it would be prudent to continue all of this later, as in tomorrow, after everyone's had a good night's rest. Wouldn't that be lovely? Yes, I thought you would all agree! Good night, gentlemen! Say goodnight to the gentlemen Relena."  
  
"Wait! I want to know what happened to my son!" the Duke's voice called as they neared the top of the stairs.  
  
*SLAM!*  
  
Noin shut the door to Relena's room then leaned against the hard oak, exhaling a deep breath.  
  
There was a moment of silence before Noin opened one eye to study her young sister-in-law.  
  
"Well, do I have to ask or will you just tell me?"  
  
Relena was suddenly very interested in her nails, "Tell you what?"  
  
"Don't give me that Relena," Noin shoved off the door to sit upon Relena's bed, watching the young girl beside her with interest. She was the only one who knew all about Relena's encounter with Joseph, the only one who had been told about the run in with Trowa, the only soul who Relena had confided her confusion.  
  
Relena stood, shoving her hands in her pockets, her face reflecting her deep concentration, the same look she usually had when trying to find the most risk-free way of expressing her thoughts.  
  
"What's this?" Noin observed the puzzled look on the younger girl's face, watching a slender hand pull out a slip of blue paper from the right pocket. Relena's face went up in flames.  
  
Blinking, curious, the dark-haired woman stood and walked up to Relena, looking over the shorter girl's shoulder. In Relena's hands was a ticket to the circus on L4, the slip of paper dated a month in advance, and written on the back in a neat, precise handwriting was a note:  
  
~Be there. Trowa.~  
  
"W -- what does this mean?" Relena stammered, her cheeks flushed pink. It was pretty clear that the blonde knew EXACTLY what it meant.  
  
Noin grinned, "Why, I think that would be quite obvious. He's asking you on a date."  
  
  
  
  
  



	6. My Lips are Sealed

Yup, I actually finished this one nearly 24 hours after Made of You ;-; I'm so proud of myself!!! I'm getting stuff done! *sighs* This is the second portion of my Christmas present to everyone so Merry Christmas! Hopefully, since school is out till January, I'll be able to get chapters out faster ^_^ Thank you EVERYONE that has reviewed and commented on Made of You 10 *cries* You are all so kind!   
  
Warnings: I think there is one cuss word in here.....and a LITTLE sexual innuendo. Nothing major, just a lot of fawning over Trowa's chest *drools*   
  
Disclaimer: If I owned it, Heero would be married to Relena with 40 children (poor Relena -_-;)  
  
Chapter 5: My Lips are Sealed  
  
It was a new experience.  
  
The bright colored canvas blocking the glaring sunlight while filtering it to produce a dim illumination by which to see and a bright circle of spotlight sitting in the center of the middle ring upon the ground, a pleasing vision to the eye which had never beheld such surroundings. The smell of fresh hay and animal hung lightly in the air, reminding her of origins and nature, bringing memories of times long past when she was young and innocent and so full of life and adventure. The anxious collective murmuring of children and adults alike lulled her senses to a comfortable daze-like awareness, her eyes taking in every detail of this event, her ears open to every minute nuance of sound, and her nose picking up as many smells as she could catalog in her mind.  
  
Then it began . . .  
  
"Welcome ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, to the most entertaining show on Earth and the Colonies!"  
  
Relena applauded emphatically along with the large crowd packed into the limited space of the circus tent, a large delighted grin brightening her already cheerful features as whistles and yells streamed from the people around her. Excitement zinged through her veins at the thought of her very first circus experience.  
  
Trowa was an added bonus.  
  
As the enthusiastic roaring of the audience died down and the ringmaster began to speak a little about the rules of conduct and what have you, Relena's mind drifted to wonder at Milliardo's allowance of her trip to this place.  
  
Ok, admittedly she and Lucrezia had conveniently left this part out of the game plan when they had initially requested permission for Relena to attend Quatre's informal dinner party at his L4 estate. And it was true they had somehow forgotten to tell him that only Heero would be accompanying her to said dinner party instead of her usual entourage of assorted bodyguards.  
  
The sneakiness and somewhat forbidden feel of this operation only succeeded in magnifying the decidedly self-satisfying factor of the whole affair. She felt independent and free for once, without care or inhibition. She could fly and no one was there to clip her wings. Her smile widened even farther at the thought.  
  
Of course, she would have been much more content had she been able to come totally alone, however, having Heero around to watch over her still bore the same effect his shadowy brand of guardianship had always held: She felt safe and protected, secure. Despite that feeling of security, the romantic feelings she had once harbored for the silent, mysterious man had faded as she realized that the extreme circumstances in which they had met called for an extreme emotion. With the calming of existence and the birth of peace, she had settled and the need for the earth shattering passion she had developed for Heero died. Reason had revealed the truth: She had needed that passion to drive her on, created love-filled fantasies that gave her a purpose and masked her from the grim reality of her future.  
  
No. Reality, for her, was far from her dreams of the perfect love and the quiet, homely life she had wished to live, her childish hopes of a normal future killed with the placement of a dead crown atop her head. Reality was paperwork and endless meetings with old men who looked down upon her, blaming her gender and age for their mistrustful ways. Reality was staying up into the wee hours of the morning going over the newest peace treaty between L1 and L3 when you had to get up in 2 hours to catch a space transport to oversee building preparations for a new colony. Reality was never seeing your friends because a horde of men were after your money and power, holding you hostage in your own home. Reality gave her the knowledge of a woman twice her age, and showed her that Heero Yuy, the man she had thought herself madly and irrevocably in love with, was just a friend and nothing more. Reality . . . ha . . . Reality was, she didn't have time for love.  
  
So why was she here, at this circus which Trowa had practically ordered her to attend?  
  
She had no idea, but she did know that Heero was right behind her. She could feel his eyes burning into her back, daring her to look up and find him; and she was damned sure NOT going to give him the pleasure.  
  
Relena sighed. Heero was so lost, even more so than herself. She wished he would take his own advice and just tell his secret love of his true feelings. Sometimes she was so tempted to just call her and spill the beans, but she couldn't. She wasn't in much better shape in the love department, probably worse, and she had promised not to breathe a word to the lucky girl. Afterall, if he told, she would be obliged to tell all of her would-be suitors to take a hike like she frequently wished she could do without a scandal breaking out. Sometimes life just didn't provide the proper materials for desired projects.  
  
Straightening in her seat, the blonde settled in for the show as the ringmaster ended his spiel, introducing the first act. The clowns.  
  
They rode into the Big Top on tricycles, unicycles, and miniature motorcars, dressed in bright, clashing colors with their faces painted even brighter. A few of the silly looking people jumped off of their vehicles to do crazy acrobatic leaps and comical falls, interacting with the audience when the most outrageously dressed of all singled her out.  
  
She was in the fourth row, sitting between two large groups of children, one of three adults occupying that particular bench, and when she realized it was her the clown was targeting, she wanted to shrink inside herself. Afterall, she had gone there to get away from the attention being lavished on her lately.  
  
And so she watched him come, staggering up the steps to her bench, one gloved hand motioning for her to stand and meet him halfway. She complied, reluctantly standing and edging her way to where he stood beside the old lady whom was chaperoning the first group of children.  
  
As she moved toward the tall clown, she instinctively knew it wasn't Trowa. She couldn't see the man's features clearly under the thick white, red, and black makeup, nor his hair beneath the rainbow colored curly wig and worn top hat, but she knew somehow that it wasn't him. She felt no unease, but there was a lurking disappointment that she wasn't ready to acknowledge.  
  
Silently, Clown held out a hand to her but when she raised her hand to take his (as she thought he wanted), he would gently slap it down again. He did this repeatedly, drawing giggles from the children and embarrassed chuckles from the adults, and Relena realized, too late, that she was in the center of a spotlight!  
  
Suddenly, another clown was beside them, playing a rather horrible sounding number on a toy accordion, and she found herself unceremoniously pulled into a clumsy waltz which saw her toes stepped on quite a few times by oversized, fire-engine red clown shoes. As the . . . song ended, Clown twirled her around till she was dizzy, and when she had gained her balance once more, ready to give him a piece of her mind in front of the amused crowd, the clown brought his hand down on her head.  
  
Wincing, Relena opened her mouth to diplomatically tell this uppity clown where he could take himself when she something cold and yellow plopped down on her nose.   
  
Relena started, blinking rabidly. Egg yolk? She ran one hand over her head, her nose catching a whiff of something rotten.  
  
Clown smirked as the laughter intensified, his hand coming up to untie the scarf she had arranged around her throat, the cool silk whispering across her skin as he pulled it from her and tucked it in once pocket.  
  
She stood there stupidly, face red, as the audience cheered and the clowns made their exit until a slight tugging sensation forced her to come back to her senses. Looking down, she saw a little boy laughing gaily at her confused, bewildered, and angry expression while the little girl next to him giggled under a pinched nose.   
  
Relena found herself smiling in spite of herself, her eyes shifting upward as she coolly wiped her egged hands on her jeans before sitting on the edge of the bench next to the children. The two rambunctious tots immediately bombarded her with questions.  
  
"Wow, that was cool, wasn't it Miss? Is that guy your boyfriend?" the little girl asked brightly, hand still covering her nose as she leaned a little away from Relena.  
  
"No, he's not," Relena smiled.  
  
"I thought clowns were supposed to spray people with water?" This from the little boy. He looked somewhat disappointed.  
  
"I would have preferred it if he had." Anything was better than having a rotten egg cracked over one's head.  
  
"You're really pretty! What's your name?"  
  
"Thank you. You can call me Lena."  
  
"Oh, that's pretty! I'm Rosie and this is my big brother Chris. We're orphans."  
  
Relena's smile nearly faltered at the girl's cheerful declaration. They were so cute and innocent. Rosie couldn't have been more than four years old which meant that she was probably made an orphan during the war while Chris looked only slightly older, perhaps five or six. She wondered if they even realized what being an orphan meant.  
  
"OH COOL! This is the knife throwing act!" Chris turned his attention back to the circus with an enthusiastic whoop, jumping to his feet, eyes wide with the light of excitement.  
  
"Yeah, this is so awesome! Have you ever seen it Miss?" Rosie asked, her glittering brown eyes filled with a quiet anticipation.  
  
Relena's lips twitched, suppressing a giggle, "No. I haven't had the pleasure."  
  
"The guy with the half mask is so dreamy . . . " The girl twirled a lock of red hair around her finger, cheeks flushed pink and eyes staring dreamily into space.   
  
The Vice Foreign Minister stared at her for a moment before allowing the giggle to break through the barrier of her lips, "I couldn't agree with you more Rosie!"  
  
"No he isn't! He's cool! Watch, he won't even flinch!" Chris's dark hair fairly bristled with tense anxiety and impatience.  
  
Relena shook her head absently, her smile fading in favor of a more sober expression, her brows drawn slightly to create a small indention of worry in the center of her forehead. Craning her neck, she searched for a first glimpse of either Catherine or Trowa to no avail.  
  
Finally, she gave up for a moment, deciding that she would see them once they finished setting up for the act. Looking down at her hands, she was once again struck by a sense of excitement and romance (which was sort of strange given that she was stinking up the entire area due to a strategically placed rotten egg in the head) . . . even if it was only an imagined romance. Surely Trowa didn't think of her like that even if she had begun to wish he did over the last month patiently waiting for this day.  
  
And yet . . . she couldn't help but think that maybe he did as her fingers sought out the ticket within her pocket. It was almost as if he had been ordering her to have a good time, to relax and enjoy herself while he was doing something he obviously enjoyed, and even if that wasn't his intent, her heart still warmed with the possibility that perhaps this wasn't a one-sided fancy. Maybe, just maybe, Trowa was just as interested as she was.  
  
Cheering broke her out of her studious daze, and Relena stood to better see what was going on. There, in the center of the ring, stood a veritable god of quiet masculinity. Trowa.  
  
"Oh my . . ." Relena breathed, unconsciously bringing a hand up to fan herself, a wave of dizziness sweeping over her as she fought the urge to swoon. Her eyes were glued to his bare muscular chest and bulging arm muscles, a strange heat suffusing her face and neck while her hands began to sweat and her heart began to race, trying to break out of her chest. He was a work of art, he was.  
  
Distantly, she noted that she was not the only female so affected for teenage girls and full grown women alike were likewise preoccupied, some going so far as to unbutton the first few buttons of their blouses or blatantly licking their lips in a rather suggestive manner. It made Relena sick. There were children present for goodness sake!  
  
Rosie tugged on her sleeve, "Miss Lena?" The little girl looked down to the ground, her chubby little hands twisting the material of her simple pink dress.  
  
A question poised on her lips, Relena tried to deduce what was bothering the young girl only to realize there was no way the child could see the act with all the people standing in front of her trying to get a better view for themselves. Meanwhile, Chris had perched himself atop one of the chaperone's shoulders. Rosie was left to fend for herself.  
  
Smiling gently, Relena picked up the little girl, laughingly apologizing for the smell, but Rosie didn't seem to mind as her gaze flew to Trowa's magnificent form as he stoically faced the oncoming knives, his one visible green eye staring dispassionately ahead as the cold metal virtually caressed the skin at his temple.  
  
Relena very nearly fainted while Rosie whimpered, burying her head into Relena's neck and Chris yelled at the top of his lungs in unrestrainable enthusiasm.  
  
All too soon, or maybe not soon enough, the act was finished, Trowa was still alive without a scratch on him, and Catherine was proud that she hadn't slipped up and severe harm to her brother, her knives flying unerringly where she willed them. Relena was just relieved Trowa was uninjured. She knew he did this several days a week, but it was rather nerve wracking to her and she wasn't even the target!  
  
She was also somewhat calmer due to the comforting thought that she had made it through the whole act without making a spectacle of herself in the wake of all that masculine flesh (even if that form of distraction had proved secondary to the issue of Trowa's safety).  
  
It seemed the other women were of the same opinion and more than one breathed a loud, long sigh of relief when Trowa exited the tent and was gone from site, the clowns coming out to play once more.  
  
The rest of the circus flew by in a dazzling array of color and excitement. The trapeze act made her want to fly just as effortlessly as she watched the men and women soar through the air with ease, the highwire act made her dizzy with fear for the performer as he pretended a stumble upon the thin support, and the human cannonball made her breath catch, pulse race, and face pale with the rush of adrenaline through her body.  
  
And then it was over, the uproarious applause echoing in her ears minutes after it had died down as families and couples filed out the tent. Turning toward her new little friends, Relena said her goodbye's to Rosie and Chris, cataloguing the name of the orphanage where they resided so that she could make good on her promise to visit them.  
  
Watching them leave with an irresistible smile pasted on her face, she turned her head to search for Heero but could not find him. Did he leave without her? Ah well, she could take care of herself. He probably just went out for some fresh air or something, afterall, Cathy did look rather good in her costume, Relena thought with a wide grin made her way out of the tent alone.  
  
Basking in the midday sun, Relena felt lighter and more relaxed than she had in weeks, the tension of the past few months becoming nothing but an unpleasant, distant memory within the confines of her mind. She smiled as her eyes closed, soaking up the warm sunlight, not noticing the large shadow approaching her.  
  
She started when she felt the first brush of a rough, wet tongue on her hand, and very nearly screamed when she was what was licking her fingers. A very large, very real lion.   
  
"Oh my God . . ." Her voice shook as she became tense, her eyes widening in fearful panic as the huge cat gently clamped its mouth closed around her hand, tugging softly. She stared at him then relaxed somewhat when she realized he wasn't going to attack and possibly kill her. "You want me to go with you?"  
  
If she didn't know better, she would have said that the lion just nodded, and she vaguely recognized her scarf tied around the creature's neck.  
  
The beast turned, taking a step then craning his bulky neck to look questioningly (Yes . . . *questioningly*) at her before walking away, expecting her to follow.  
  
Shaking her head, Relena grinned, "Smarter than your average lion. Trowa, what are you up to?" Hesitating for only a moment, her eyes darting around to see if anyone was watching this rather unusual event, she followed the lion as he weaved his way around the expansive circus space to the area set aside for the animals. He lead her up a short set of rather rickety steps to a makeshift shed in a spot hidden from prying eyes then stopped, liquid black eyes staring at her as if to say, "He's in there."  
  
Heart pounding and hands shaking, she placed her hand upon the door knob of the little shed when --  
  
"Relena?"  
  
"AAAAAAHHHHH!!!!!!!" Relena jumped, heart ramming up into her throat as she began falling backwards. Squeezing her eyes shut, she bit her tongue and braced for impact when she felt herself being pulled upright, her feet dangling above the ground, against a hard, warm, definitely male body.  
  
Popping one eye open, she found herself staring into Trowa's eye(s). Why was it everytime they met, it had to be under these sorts of circumstances?  
  
"Trowa," she greeted as he set her back down on her feet. She tried to smile but was suddenly overcome with embarrassment at her appearance and er . . . fragrance, and for once in her life, Relena had no earthly idea what to say, no conception of how she was supposed to act.   
  
Distantly, she thanked the Powers That Be for making Trowa put on a shirt.  
  
"Th . . thank you for inviting me," was all she could come up with, her mind screaming at her that she was making a fool out of herself, stammering like a love sick schoolgirl. Blushing in mortification, she bowed her head, belatedly realizing that she was giving him a beautiful view of her egg stiffened hair.  
  
Jeez, leave it to a man to throw her off balance . . . literally.  
  
Gentle fingers touched her chin, forcing her head up to look at him, and she couldn't help but gasp at the sight of his beautiful (if rare) smile, "Sorry I startled you, and I apologize for this." His hand tucked a few clumped strands of hair behind her ear, the normally blonde locks making a rather strange crinkling sound as they were bent and separated by the action.  
  
Relena frowned, irritation igniting behind her blue eyes, "You rigged it?"  
  
Trowa shook his head, smile still etched upon his lips, "I told them to do something, but I wasn't expecting . . . this."  
  
"Hmmph." Her frown deepened. She was not enjoying his amused gaze at all.  
  
Suddenly, he shoved a large pink and white swirl lollipop in her face, "Smile."  
  
Relena blinked before gingerly taking the candy from him, her eyes studying the baby blue iced smiley face adorning the hard pink and white sugar concoction, a smile coming to her features as her eyes rose to look up at him again, "Thank you, for all of this." She made a vague gesture toward the big tent and the lion who was sitting on his haunches, watching the proceedings patiently, "I've never been to a circus before."  
  
"I know. Cathy told me."  
  
"Ah. Does she know about --"  
  
"No."  
  
Eyes averted, Relena wondered why she inwardly felt relieved, "Do you . . . um that is . . . What's happening between us?" Clear blue eyes fixed themselves on his face, trying to find some sort of purchase in the turbulent winds of desperate confusion.  
  
Hesitantly, slowly, Trowa placed his hands on either side of her face, tilting her head back just a little more before answering softly, "I don't know, but if you don't want the others to know, I'll comply with your wishes."  
  
She licked her lips, "It's not that."  
  
Trowa nodded slowly, "I know." He lowered his hands back to his sides leaving Relena feeling strangely bereft of his touch.  
  
She turned away, her eyes adopting a thoughtful look, "If we're not sure what's going on, I can just imagine what the others would think. We'd be married before either of us could say 'I don't,' and the last thing I want is for you to get entangled in the shambles that is my singlehood." A grin smoothed over her lips as she turned back to him, "So we keep it a secret for now?"  
  
Nodding again, Trowa's smile returned, a mischievous gleam illuminating his catlike green eyes, "You can use my shower."  
  
Relena giggled, one hand coming up to feel the top of her hair, "Can't show up to Quatre's place looking like a petrified mop, can I? Which reminds me, are you escorting someone?"  
  
Taking her hand easily in his Trowa led her towards his home, keeping an eye out for Cathy, "Yes. Cathy."  
  
"Mmmm. Mind switching?"  
  
He glanced back at her but said nothing.  
  
"I mean at the dance itself. I doubt I could explain to Heero why I suddenly didn't need him as an escort at the last minute without telling him I'd rather be going with you than him." *Oh God! Did I just blurt that out??*  
  
Still he said nothing, and Relena's hopes crumbled under the weight of silence. Had she read too much into this? Was she just fooling herself once more as she had done with Heero years before?   
  
He ushered her into the trailer, a place she was fast becoming familiar with, and led her to the small but clean bathroom. Before leaving her to wash the egg from her person, he ducked his head to whisper his lips across hers, "Meet me in the West wing at midnight."  
  
Relena stared after him as he quickly exited the trailer, leaving her alone, her fingers pressed to her lips and her other hand grasping the lolli tightly.  
  
"West wing . . . midnight . . .," she murmured, a small, serene smile gracing her lips as she turned slowly into the bathroom. Perhaps she wasn't fooling herself afterall.  
  
  
  



	7. Blooming Rose

Oh. My. God. I finished another chapter!!! *throws confetti in the air* Not that its any good mind you -_-;; It's sappy, like WAY sappy at the end anyway but who didn't expect that? Especially after Trowa flat out kissed Relena *wide anime starry eyes* Ok so it was a very SMALL kiss but damn it, this is TROWA we're talkin here and just a small kiss can be translated as tongue k? ^_^ The rest (meaning the beginning and middle) of this chapter is my attempt at humor *clears throat* Let me clarify, my ATTEMPT at humor so do not be surprised if it totally sucks ;-; I'm not a humorous person *solemn face* Made of You will follow in a few days (depending on how much time I have to write). I just have to get what few ideas I have in order. There's so many things to cover ARGH!! Compounded with the fact that its my 'serious' GW fic and well . . . Oh and for those of you who are just DYING to know when Heero and Relena shall meet again . . . you'll just have to wait along with me cuz I don't know either WAHAHAHA *ducks as various implements of death are thrown at her*  
  
Thanks to EVERYONE who reviewed and emailed ;-; I still have some replies to get to eep!  
  
Note for new readers (cuz I forgot to put this in every other segment OI!): order of chapters -  
  
Prologue  
Playing Cupid  
Operation Relena Barton  
Aftermath Intervals  
Symptoms of Attraction  
My Lips Are Sealed  
Blooming Rose  
  
Happy New Year Everyone (even if I am a little late -_-;)!  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own GW!! Never did claim it as mine (though I would REALLY like to). Mean old Santa didn't deliver ;-; The Divine Miss M (Bette Midler for all you non-fans) has all rights to "The Rose" (such a beautiful song ne?) Also, Chris de Burgh owns "Lady in Red". I THINK that's all -_-;  
  
False Engagements: Blooming Rose  
by Kysra  
  
~ Heero and Relena's Hotel Suite ~  
  
It was blue.  
  
"Nuh uh."  
  
It was silky.  
  
"No way."  
  
It was small.  
  
"Forget it."  
  
She wasn't wearing it.  
  
"Heero?"  
  
"Hn."  
  
"I'm NOT wearing this . . . this --"  
  
"Dress."  
  
Relena glared at her roommate, irritation and rebellion written upon her clean face, water darkened gold hair hanging stiffly around her face in neat newly combed lines, "This THING is no dress! It can barely be classified as lingerie!"  
  
Heero had the audacity to smirk, "It's a dress. Noin chose it for you, and you will wear it to Quatre's party." The truth was, he and Noin had chosen the dress for the expressed purpose of tempting Trowa. He just hoped no other male at the party would be attracted by the small, slinky, blue number or else he would have to add a few more casualties to the list of deaths brought about by his hand.  
  
"NO I WON'T!!!! I refuse to wear this . . . this TRAVESTY in public! Do you hear me Heero! There's no WAY I'm wearing this! It's indecent! Furthermore, it'll attract every male within a 100 mile radius to ME which I MOST CERTAINLY DO NOT WANT!!! Understood???!!!"  
  
This time he chuckled which only served to infuriate the already irate Relena more, but he didn't give her another order, nor did he swear she WOULD wear the thing. Instead, all he said was, "If you can find something else to wear, fine."  
  
Grinning in triumph, Relena breathed a sigh, releasing the tension that had built up between her shoulder blades the moment the . . . dress had been laid out for her. Stretching out her legs and standing, she shivered at the sensation of her toes sinking into the plush carpeted floor of their hotel room before walking slowly to the large closet near the bed, enjoying the freedom of being clad in only her robe, no implements of torture (i.e. bras, pantyhose, etc.) hindering her movements or causing general discomfort.   
  
With a gesture of lazy patience, she pulled the closet doors open, her eyes staring at the space where her clothing was supposed to be . . . . . but wasn't.  
  
"HEERO!!!!!!!"  
  
***  
  
~ One of the many unused guestrooms in the Winner Mansion ~  
  
"You're kidding." Dorothy stared in mute disbelief at her two friends who were smiling wickedly, the kind of smile that told of a delicious shared secret.  
  
Hilde sighed then grinned triumphantly as Catherine opened the guestroom closet, her hand coming up to present the various business suits, ballgowns, and assorted casual outfits housed there (better known as Relena's wardrobe) as if it were a gameshow prize.  
  
Wide eyed, Dorothy hoisted herself up from the floor to get a better look at the collection of clothes, "You're not kidding. I don't believe this. You two really are serious! And Heero's in on it?"  
  
"Yup," Hilde brushed imaginary lent from her shoulder, "Actually, he was the one who came up with this idea while Noin helped hammer out the details. It was actually pretty easy since Relena had some meeting to go to earlier today. He escorted her there then left to help us get all of her clothes transported here. In fact, Heero should be forcing Relena into that phenomenally sexy piece of man-catching material Noin picked out for tonight right about now."  
  
Shaking her head, Catherine feigned a sad frown, "Relena and sexy just don't mix. She's probably yelling up a storm. Poor Heero."  
  
The three women dissolved into laughter, united in a sense of purpose. The second of their arrival at Quatre's mansion two days ago, Hilde and Catherine had cornered Dorothy, regaling her with the tale of how their mission (which they had entitled 'Relena and Trowa's Love Connection') had come into existence, inviting her along for the ride. Afterall, Relena and Trowa had not yet figured out what they were doing, what was a few more accomp . . . er helpers to the cause?  
  
"I suppose you don't want me to tell Quatre about this?" Dorothy smirked, liking the idea of good ol'fashioned matchmaking more and more, especially since Hilde and Catherine had confirmed that the two subjects were showing signs of responding to the forced stimuli. It was like war, striking then waiting for your opponent to make a move. She was in her element.  
  
Catherine looked thoughtful, "Well, I guess we could include him, but . . . he's so honest. If anyone would blow the whistle on this operation it would be him. I mean Trowa's his best friend."  
  
"Hmmm . . . Dorothy, proceed with caution. If you think Quatre won't spill then let him in on it, but if you think he'll break, don't. I'm not finished with those two . . yet." Hilde rubbed her hands together, an evil grin slithering across her face.  
  
"Yes," Dorothy murmured, "It will be a beautiful battle."  
  
Blinking Cathy turned confused eyes to the blonde woman, "Huh? What do you mean by that?"  
  
"Quatre invited Marissa."  
  
Hilde slapped a hand over her eyes and groaned while Catherine just stared at Dorothy, eyes wide and blank.  
  
Tonight would definitely be interesting. Case of the Ex indeed.  
  
***  
  
~ Elsewhere in the Mansion ~  
  
Trowa was speechless.  
  
No really. He was . . . nevermind.  
  
"I'm so sorry Trowa, but her father is a business associate, and --" Quatre stammered to a halt at Trowa's quieting gesture.  
  
"It's alright."  
  
Still, that did nothing to assure the sensitive blond man who would have rathered it if the sly, manipulative woman wasn't one of his guests for the evening. She was the type to cause trouble for an ex . . . especially if that ex had a new companion.  
  
Trying to open a new line of conversation, one that wasn't quite so controversial, Quatre turned away from his friend to inspect his image in a nearby full-length mirror, "So how was Relena's first circus?"  
  
It had been a surprise when Trowa had first told him about the time he had inadvertently been spending with the Vice Foreign Minister and even more shocking when his quiet friend told him he suspected he was developing feelings for the woman who was ranked as the #1 bachelorette on Earth and the Colonies.  
  
"Good. May I ask a favor?"   
  
There was no hesitance in his voice, and Quatre couldn't help a pleased smile. Trowa and Relena . . . It was so cute! "Sure. Just name it."  
  
"At midnight, I need the West Wing secured for private use. No cameras. No security. No people."  
  
Quatre, satisfied his shirt was free of wrinkles and his outfit was spotless, turned to study his friend calmly, subtle curiosity alighting his features, "That's fine, but do you mind me asking why?"  
  
Trowa closed his eyes for a moment and said nothing, choosing his words carefully before leveling his green eyed stare at Quatre, "She's meeting me there. I want no interruptions."  
  
Smiling widely, Quatre didn't have to ask who Trowa was referring to, but he couldn't help the nearly euphoric happiness that welled within him at the confession that Trowa WAS going to see Relena tonight. He only hoped Marissa didn't do anything to disrupt the newly blossoming romance between the unexpected almost-couple.  
  
***  
  
~ Night at the Winner Mansion ~  
  
"No."  
  
"Please?"  
  
"No."  
  
"Pretty, pretty please?"  
  
"I said 'no' Relena. Don't make me repeat myself."  
  
Relena leaned a little closer to her escort, "Please Heero? I'm cold. I need your jacket. Please?"  
  
" . . . "  
  
She was very nearly on the verge of tears, "Heeeeerrroooooo . . ." she whined, looking out the window nervously as the brightly lit Winner Mansion came into view. Her pleas became desperate, "I'll jump out of the car!"  
  
Prussian blue eyes leveled a hard gaze on her, "No."  
  
"I'm serious! You know I will!"  
  
"The answer is still no. You won't change my mind."  
  
Relena retreated to her side of the back seat to pout and sulk and think of something that would get Heero to comply with her wishes. The 'dress', although the word said nothing about the flimsy slip of material currently NOT 'clothing' her form, was worse than she had originally thought upon just glancing at it. It was severely low cut, displaying the skin of her upper chest, the valley between her breasts and a small 'v' of her midriff for all to see. The straps were thin, and she could just envision some slimy Duke or Baron issuing just enough pressure on them to cause an abrupt detachment. The shimmery blue silk was the same shade as her eyes and hugged her curves snugly, leaving nothing to the imagination. She couldn't even wear underwear with the damn thing, and the hem just barely covered her tush. She was so gonna kill Noin when she got back home, pacifism and non-violent action be damned.  
  
"I'll buy you any kind of weapon you want. I don't care how destructive it is or how much it costs. Just let me have that jacket!" She couldn't, wouldn't be seen in public like this. She couldn't, wouldn't be seen by men like this.  
  
Prussian blue eyes studied her for a long intense moment, and Relena thought that maybe, just maybe, she had hit pay dirt . . . that is until he opened his mouth.  
  
"No."  
  
There was a certain finality to that last 'no' and Relena was hard-pressed to figure out a way in which to sufficiently con Heero out of his jacket so that she could have some kind of cover to hide her skin from the other guests. She was never letting Noin or Heero near her wardrobe again. Never. Period. End of story. Now to get that damn jacket.  
  
"It's not even cold. It's the middle of August for goodness sake. Why can't you just let me have the stupid jacket?"  
  
"I need it to hide my gun."  
  
"I need it more."  
  
"I said, don't make me repeat myself."  
  
Relena threw up her hands in defeat before crossing her arms over her chest, not realizing the action pushed her breasts up in a dazzling display of cleavage, the flesh very nearly spilling out of the silky sheath everyone else called a 'dress'. "Fine," she said in a scathing tone, "but next time you get near Cathy and don't know what to say, don't expect me to rescue you."  
  
Heero shrugged, "We're here."  
  
And they most certainly were to Relena's chagrin. She watched as Heero circled around the back of the limo to open the door for her, too soon for her taste. Taking a deep breath, she placed her hands in his as the flashing lights of several cameras illuminated the small space which she and Heero occupied.   
  
Nervously, she tried to huddle in back of him, concealing her front while simultaneously wondering if it was such a good idea allowing the press shots of her backside. She felt so naked, vulnerable, exposed. It would most certainly not be a pleasant evening.  
  
She supposed this was her penance for having such a great time at the circus earlier . . . That kiss . . . A promise that made her yearn for more, for him. Her temperature immediately rose to feverish proportions as the skin of her face, neck, and lower became suffused with blood, the usually pale flesh suddenly a dark pink hue of embarrassment and innocent arousal.  
  
Good Lord, how would she face Trowa tonight in this . . . this . . .   
  
"Relena! Heero! It's so good to see you two!" Quatre intercepted them at the door, smiling charmingly at them while he shook Heero's hand and embraced the brightly blushing Relena. His bright blue eyes raked over her form innocently before returning to peer into her mortified face. "You're looking ravishing Relena."  
  
Heero choked on a chuckle while Relena's face turned an even deeper shade of red, graciously thanking Quatre for the compliment while devising a plan to get Heero's damned jacket.  
  
They moved into the expansive ballroom which had been decorated to look more like the school dances she remembered from years ago with glittery streamers, bright colored balloons, and a mirror ball suspended over the room. The lights were turned down, a strobe light flashing to the beat of pulsating music played by a live band rather than a quiet mini-orchestra. It was like Prom or Homecoming all over again.  
  
They stood at the edge of the party, both of them watchful, studious, silent. Relena's mind was whisked away to a time not so long ago when such parties were not within her agenda, when she was just a schoolgirl bored with her life of pomp and superficial formality, when she was just a young girl full of idealistic fury searching for a wild dream in the skies. Suddenly, Heero's jacket didn't seem so important anymore.  
  
She decided she was going to just let go tonight and forget the responsibility of her station to enjoy this celebration of love with her friends. What she was wearing . . . or not wearing was not important.  
  
Of course, that didn't keep her from feeling uncomfortably naked.  
  
"You don't have to stay with me." Relena yelled to Heero over the music, her arms crossed over her body in a sad attempt to cover the skin left bare by the skimpy dress. "Go find Cathy. Trowa should be escorting her."  
  
He looked at her uncertainly, his protective urge toward her and his desires waging war within his soul, and she smiled reassuringly at him, gesturing toward Duo and Hilde who were kissing in the corner. She would be fine with them.  
  
Nodding, Heero allowed a small smile to cross his lips before briefly squeezing her shoulder and walking away, shoving through the teeming bodies swaying and gyrating on the dancefloor.  
  
Relena, her blush remaining in the form of a warm smattering of pink across the bridge of her nose, smiled as she watched the dancers silently. It amazed her at how much enjoyment she could take in the sight of others having fun, being happy, and just generally being . . . there. This was what she worked for, this carefree, peaceful kind of bliss, this normalcy.   
  
Closing her eyes to the flashing lights, freeing her mind from the noise of the upbeat, pumping music, Relena retreated into herself, wanting to relish this feeling of purpose for just a few more moments before she made her break into the unknown and let go of her usual self-restraint.  
  
"Can I have this dance?" A sensually low voice vibrated in her ear pleasantly, breaking her out of the trance she had immersed herself in.  
  
Blinking, she turned her head to see none other than the young King Jean-Pierre of France, his handsome face hovering over her bare shoulder. She felt her heart drop. Over the last month, despite all of her adamant refusals, the man had still persisted with this marriage idea. She was on the verge of giving Heero the ok to severely hurt him.  
  
Pasting a thin smile on her now pale face, she turned to him after stepping back to give herself a bit more personal space, "Certainly."  
  
He led her to the dancefloor, a soft, slow song wafting through the air as he touched his hands gently to her silk clad waist, her hands coming up to rest on his shoulders. She moved stiffly, fervently wishing the song would hurry and end so that she could go back to being a dazed wallflower while her dance partner stared at her pleasantly smiling face, wondering why she wouldn't let him close the foot wide gap between their bodies. Didn't her arms hurt from being so stiffly locked straight?  
  
"So have you thought anymore on my proposal? I think I'm being very generous."  
  
Relena's eyes went wide before narrowing into tiny slits of annoyance, "I said no already Jean-Pierre, and nothing will change my mind."  
  
He was undaunted by her ire, "I've promised you half of all collective assets if we should have . . . difficulties, but I am willing to grant you more if you so wish it."  
  
Halting in her swaying movements, Relena tipped her chin up just a little more before dropping her hands to her sides, "I believe this conversation . . . and dance is over. Good night Jean-Pierre. I would appreciate it if you would keep your distance for the rest of the night."   
  
Not waiting for his reply, she turned on her heel to crash headlong into Duo who immediately wrapped an arm about her shoulders to steady her, his violet eyes never leaving the other man's face, "Is there a problem Lena?"  
  
Temporarily speechless, Relena shook her head slightly before saying, "No. Jean-Pierre was just saying goodbye."  
  
Duo nodded, sparing the Frenchman a remarkable imitation of Heero's death glare, taking Relena into his arms for the next dance.  
  
***  
  
~ On the other side of the room ^_^ ~  
  
Trowa's lips curved slightly as he watched Duo make his way toward the woman in blue, the woman Heero had identified as Relena. It was quite obvious she had wanted an out, to get away from the man who currently held her at arm's length (or perhaps it would be more accurate to say she held him at arm's length), the same man who had proposed to her a month ago. He felt an inner pride when she calmly halted in their dance to deliver what looked like an ultimatum from the grim expression on her face. She didn't cause a scene, didn't slap him for whatever offense he had paid her, just turned away, leaving the man there to deal with Duo's glare.  
  
She was so beautiful when she was angry, her hair flaring out behind her, and he knew she was going to be hounded all night. That dress . . .   
  
"You know, you should ask Relena to dance," Hilde suggested beside him, "I mean Cathy abandoned you and Heero abandoned her. It's only right that you two have a good time."  
  
Trowa glanced down at the short haired woman before returning his gaze to the sea of dancers, crossing his arms over his chest, "I'm fine here."  
  
Hilde sighed heavily, "How wonderful, but that doesn't get me a dance partner now does it? C'mon!" She took his arm roughly, pulling him into the fray, scouting out a clear spot for them.  
  
Suppressing a smile, the ex-Gundam pilot didn't put up an resistance as Hilde grinned up at him when she found a sparse area before saying, "You do know how to dance don't you?"   
  
He remained silent, content to let her have her fun. Afterall, she was Duo's wife.   
  
"Oh dear, well, your hands go here, but don't get too fresh. I'm irresistible, but I don't think my husband would see it as flattery."   
  
"What wouldn't your husband see as flattery?" Duo flashed Trowa a grin before returning his attention to his wife as Relena's eyes became wide for moment, smiling as she coolly met Trowa's emerald stare.  
  
Hilde clicked her tongue, her arms pulling Trowa closer to her, "Trowa's forwardness. Afterall, I'm such a great catch, any man would be happy to dance with me, eh Trowa?"  
  
All eyes were on him, " . . . "  
  
In a show of Oscar winning dramatics, Hilde's eyed filled with false tears, teeth scraping her quivering bottom lip as she slightly pushed away from the tall man, "H - how could you use me you creep *sniffs*? I've done so much for you, but I understand . . . I'm a married woman. It was doomed before it even began. Very well my love. I bid you adieu!"   
  
Duo laughed, "I'm sorry Lena, but I think Hilde wants to switch partners if you don't mind."  
  
"Don't mind at all." Her eyes never left Trowa's face.  
  
Relena smiled shyly, her blush renewing itself, as she stepped naturally into his arms, Duo and Hilde moving away from them as the music changed, the song old and familiar but sorely out of place in their present situation. All sound faded as they gazed into each other's faces, their bodies close enough to tell others that they were friends but with enough distance between them to infer a non-intimate relationship.  
  
* I've never seen you looking so lovely as you did tonight  
I've never seen you shine so bright  
I've never seen so many men ask you if you wanted to dance  
They're looking for a little romance  
Given half a chance   
And I've never seen that dress you're wearing  
Or the highlights in your hair  
That catch your eyes  
I have been blind *  
  
"It's not you," Trowa said softly, just loud enough for her ears to hear over the loud but slow stream of music, disrupting their quiet little world, interrupting their intense staring match.  
  
"What isn't me?" Her blue eyes darkened with confusion.  
  
"The dress . . ."  
  
Relena's blush deepened as she lowered her eyes to stare at his collar, "Oh . . . You don't like it?" Would his opinion of her change because of something she had absolutely no control over?  
  
"I didn't say that." He smiled, looking down at her blonde head, hands bringing her just a fraction closer to him as her fingers tightened their grip on his shirt. The silk felt cool beneath his fingers while her skin felt like warm pale satin as her hand occasionally brushed against his neck. Her hair were as strands of golden gossamer falling over her thin shoulders and his clothed arms. She was a veritable goddess of femininity, and he was very much aware that every other male in that ballroom was seeing exactly the same image he was.  
  
* The lady in red is dancing with me  
Cheek to cheek  
There's nobody here  
It's just you and me  
It's where I wanna be  
But I hardly know this beauty by my side  
I'll never forget the way you look tonight *  
  
Slowly her eyes rose again to meet his, and he was taken aback to see the most unadulterated look of contentment there, as if there was nowhere she'd rather be than right there with him swaying to a song about a man dancing with the woman of his heart; and even though Relena wasn't wearing the right shade for it, he couldn't help but compare the here and now with the timeless though fabricated lyrics.  
  
His heart sped up pleasantly while his breath caught in his throat. The memory of her lips, the briefest of contacts, coming to the fore as he stared at her mouth.   
  
He suddenly wanted very much to be alone with her.  
  
"My, my if it isn't Mr. Trowa Barton. It's been awhile," a female voice broke into their cozy little dream world where only they existed. Relena gave a mental sigh. Would they ever get to cherish these moments without interruptions? Afterall, this was her THIRD partner for the night and the THIRD time her dance had been halted. It was only made worse since said partner was the only one she really wanted as her dance partner.  
  
Trowa stopped moving, his back and shoulders suddenly becoming tense as the smile slid off his face in favor of his usual non-expression, "Hello Marissa."  
  
Blue eyes wide, Relena turned to look at Trowa's former fiancee and felt her heart shrivel at the sight of the other woman. Marissa was nothing less than stunning, the stuff supermodels were made of. She was tall, just a few inches shorter than Trowa, her long legs shaped to perfection. Her waist was pencil thin while her bust was large and noticeable, hips finely sloped and perfectly formed. Smooth, tanned skin boasted a healthy lifestyle of outdoor activity though no blemish or callus was visible on her well-manicured fingers. She possessed the face of an angel with almond shaped brown eyes, a pert nose, and lush red lips framed by a lustrous mane of thick black hair. She was exotic looking, a forbidden pleasure that would tempt even the most chaste of men. Her daring red dress was (if possible) even tinier than Relena's, and the blonde woman was very much aware of how far she fell short when compared to the other woman.  
  
Marissa was everything Relena was not. Why would Trowa want a reed thin little girl with a title when he could have a voluptuous womanly temptress?  
  
Unaware of her turmoil, Trowa introduced them while Relena tried her best to keep the smile on her face, blue eyes masking the insecure feelings roiling behind them.  
  
"It's very nice to meet you Miss Sheldon," Relena said, her voice steady and professional as she lifted her hand towards Marissa who looked at the hand with a frown before smiling up at Trowa once more, laying her hand on his arm.  
  
"Nice to meet you too Relena. Do you mind if I borrow this stud for a few moments? I am dressed for the song afterall." She physically pushed Relena away from her target, "Thanks." It was on Relena's tongue to tell the crimson clad woman that she DID mind when she looked at them together and noticed how beautifully they looked together. Her hopes were dashed once more.  
  
Trowa watched helplessly as Relena forced a smile at him as Marissa snuggled close, laying her head on his shoulder when all he wanted to do was push her away, but he couldn't. There would be time for them to have some time together . . . at midnight. For now, he would have to deal with his ex-fiancee while watching Relena walk away.  
  
***  
  
~ Five minutes to midnight WAHAHAHAH ~  
  
"I can't stand her. She's so damn rude." Hilde grumbled while glaring at the object of her displeasure.  
  
"Don't I know it. Did you see how she cut in when I was dancing with him? I think I have a bruise!" Cathy groused rubbing her hip with a free hand.  
  
"She's some piece of work."  
  
"She's some piece of ass."  
  
"DUO!!!!" *WHAM*  
  
Heero listened to the others squabbling about Marissa who was just now leaving with her entourage along with all the other guests, his eyes searching the wrecked ballroom with a critical eye before asking, "Where's Relena?"  
  
Catherine, who was leaning against him tiredly, shoes in one hand, looked up at his profile blearily, "Good question. Where's Trowa?"  
  
Some distance from them, bidding goodbye to each guest as they passed, Quatre heard their questioning voices and smiled widely.  
  
***  
  
~ The West Wing (you guys were just waiting for this weren't ya??) ~  
  
"Trowa?" Relena padded silently down the darkened hall, her blue pumps in one hand as she searched for any sign of him.  
  
She had thought long and hard after leaving Trowa to Marissa, thought about the past few months, their few meetings, and the feelings he inspired within her. She had debated about the wisdom of continuing this . . . whatever it was, argued with herself over the prudent course of action in cases such as these, and wondered if she should, in fact, meet him as he had entreated her.  
  
In the end, there was really no question. She had never been happier than when she was with him. He gave her a peace that had been missing from her own life even as she fought for a peaceful world for everyone else. She had been smiling more, laughing more, filled with an excitement, a zest for the unknown. He made her feel as if she were still a young girl while bringing out the desires and characteristics of the woman she was. She wanted, no needed, to see this through to the end, even if she was destined to suffer from heartbreak. Marissa was his EX-fiancee, past tense. She was the present, and if she didn't grasp onto whatever it was developing between them, she knew she would never be able to forgive herself.  
  
Something told her that this emotion forming within her toward him, was forever, and if he never returned those feelings at least she could say she had given it a fighting chance.  
  
And so here she was, wandering blindly through the West Wing of Quatre's mansion at midnight, not really sure exactly where she would find her companion.  
  
Coming to the end of the hall, Relena found herself at a set of massive oak doors, the gilded knobs beckoning her to enter, glinting in the sparse light of the corridor. Nervous fingers wrapped around the gold plated bulb, testing it to find out whether or not it was locked.  
  
Click.  
  
It wasn't.  
  
Filled with anxiety, Relena entered quietly, closing the door behind her before turning to study the room she now found herself in. It was large and empty with no furniture to speak of resting on its gray carpeted floor. Tall, thin Gothic style windows lined the walls, moonlight falling into the room as illuminated mist, ethereal and hazy. Gauzy lavender curtains floated against the cream colored walls softly like ghostly figures dancing to a silent melody, enchanting in the gentle glow of starlight.   
  
Holding her breath, she stepped into the center of the room, enjoying the serene quality of the space while simultaneously worrying she had found the wrong location.   
  
And then she heard it.  
  
The crisp, clear notes of a piano rang through the air, her heart accelerating in her chest as she realized that she had absolutely no idea what Trowa had planned.  
  
* Some say love, it is a river  
that drowns the tender reed.  
Some say love it is a razor  
that leaves your soul to bleed.  
Some say love, it is a hunger,  
an endless aching need. *  
  
The singer's voice resounded with an irresistible note of melancholy while echoing a desperate kind of hope, a belief that the words were untrue for her but all too real for others. It was like a prayer, soft and slow, speaking to her. He was speaking to her.  
  
Sometimes words were not needed. This time, music and the voice of a woman would be his vehicle of expression.  
  
* I say love, it is a flower,  
and you it's only seed. *  
  
The sound of rustling material drew her attention to her right where a shadow detached itself from the wall, moving toward her with animalistic grace and secret purpose, and despite the growing uncertainty and restlessness, she didn't resist when strong arms pulled her into an intimate embrace, her hand releasing her shoes to crash into the floor.  
  
Neither noticed nor cared.  
  
* It's the heart afraid of breaking  
that never learns to dance.  
It's the dream afraid of waking  
that never takes the chance. *  
  
No words needed to be said as they swayed in the moonlight, their vocal silence remedied by the language of bodies. She relaxed into his arms, her body melting against the hard contours of his chest, abdomen, and legs, her head resting against his chest as he pulled her even closer.   
  
They had both suffered heartbreak in the past, but they were going to take this chance to find happiness and joy within each other. Fate had pushed them together more than once, and who were they to gainsay such a force? They would allow this to develop. They would allow nature to push them along the path they had already begun to travel, hand in hand.  
  
* It's the one who won't be taken  
who cannot seem to give,  
and the soul afraid of dying  
that never learns to live. *  
  
Relena closed her eyes, loving the feel of his arms around her, lulled by the sound of his heart beating against her ear. She slid one hand from his waist to lay it flat against the spot near her face when his hand covered hers, his chin settling against her crown.  
  
Trowa, despite how many times he had listened to this song, was still spellbound at how close to home the words came to describing himself and perhaps, in some way, his fellow pilots. It made him wonder at how different he was from those days filled with desperation and hopelessness when all that mattered was surviving one more day only to kill, to fight, to destroy. Now . . . now he held life, warm and solid, in his arms, and he never wanted to let go.  
  
* When the night has been too lonely  
and the road has been too long,  
and you think that love is only  
for the lucky and the strong, *  
  
They had both come such a long way, fought so many battles, only to end up here unexpectedly with each other. They had experienced so much in their young lives, suffering through war, death, and hardship, and yet they had persevered despite everything set against their separate causes.   
  
She had sacrificed her dreams for the betterment of the universal population while he had shirked away from humanity to become the brain behind a deadly machine. She had seen her idealistic world crushed in the face of stark reality while he had given up his false affection in favor of honesty. They had endured hell only to find each other four years after the fact and establish a tentative kind of relationship.  
  
A relationship both wished to see grow and change as fate willed it.  
  
* Just remember in the winter  
far beneath the winter snows  
lies the seed that with the sun's love  
in the spring becomes the rose. *  
  
His fingers urged her chin up, languid blue eyes opening to focus sleepily upon his face as his other hand came into view, presenting her with a short stemmed, thornless pink rosebud before his lips lowered to hers sweetly.  
  
She was his rose, and with time, it would bloom.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



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